


Broken Bones

by HeavenSent003, Ruby_Dragonryder



Series: Broken Bones Series [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:35:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 81,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21746116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeavenSent003/pseuds/HeavenSent003, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruby_Dragonryder/pseuds/Ruby_Dragonryder
Summary: Twenty-one-year-old Kaliyah Harmony Lionheart just got back from her two-year mission to Scotland to continue her schooling in her hometown of Ebott ten years after her family disappeared by supernatural means, inheriting her family manor, when she finds two skeletons collapsed on the sidewalk outside her front door in terrible shape. The only thing that kept her from ignoring them was her sister’s warning: “Remember the broken bones. They will aid you in your time of need...”NOTE:There is absolutely no swearing or sexual stuff besides kissing in this story, so it is completely kid-friendly! ^^)
Relationships: Frisk/Sans (Undertale), Sans (Underfell)/OC, Sans (Underswap)/OC
Series: Broken Bones Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1593952
Comments: 9
Kudos: 34





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! My name is ShardsDreamForever (SDF), but you can call me Canvas, Star, Reyna, Whiteout, Grace--I have tons of nicknames, and I'll answer to any of them, though my Undertale nicknames are Canvas and Star. 
> 
> This is my very first Undertale fanfic, so I'm sorry if it isn't the best. I also tend to get distracted as I am ADHD and a freshman, so I'll try to post when I can. 
> 
> This first chapter is the prologue, explaining who Kaliyah is and what happened to her. As you go along, see if you can spot any interesting things about her and her siblings that match up with Undertale's plot and history.
> 
> Anywho, on with the story!

**December 21, 2009**

Today was Kaliyah’s eleventh birthday, and she was ecstatic!

“Come on, Mom,” she groaned, pulling on her mother’s arm as she dragged the older woman into the kitchen.

Her mother, Barbara “Barb” Lionheart, chuckled at her daughter’s enthusiasm.

As the fourth of eight children, Kaliyah Harmony Lionheart knew that birthdays were special days. They were days that her parents paid attention to her, and only her. She was not going to waste a single second of her special day on her mother’s quiet exhaustion.

In fact, Kaliyah probably hadn’t noticed how her mother’s normally bright and lively blue eyes had dimmed, and that her white hair that she had had since childhood seemed to have streaks of gray and silver mixed in with the soft pearly white that the children had come to know represented safety and love.

Barb sat down at the counter with Kaliyah. “All right, Kaliyah. What do you want to make for breakfast today?” she asked the little girl.

“Pancakes!” Kaliyah answered immediately.

Barb chuckled. “Of course. Do you want my help this morning?”

Kaliyah thought about it for a moment. “No. I think I’m good this morning. Besides, doesn’t Frisk need you?”

That was Kaliyah for you. Arguably the kindest of Barb’s children, she HAD noticed the exhaustion of her mother, and didn’t want to burden her single parent with something she could do all by herself. It just wasn’t her way. She and Charity had taken over the home duties after their father had died two years ago so that their mother could work as a nurse in the local hospital to pay for the family’s needs.

Barb sighed. “You’re right. I’ll... I’ll go do that. But this was supposed to be a day for me and you, ’Liyah. I don’t—”

“Up, bup, bup! You go spend time with your kids on your day off. I’ll make breakfast. I’ll be fine, Mom. Go.” Kaliyah smiled, hiding her disappointment. She had been looking forward to this day with her mother, but knew in her heart that it would never happened. There were too many children in the house for her ever to get alone time.

Barbara teared up. “Oh, thank you, my little angel. What did I do to deserve you?” She kissed her daughter’s forehead, then walked into the living room where the other seven children were playing together.

Ben and Jasmine were playing cowboys. The six-year-old was chasing his sister around the room with finger guns saying PEW PEW, while the tween pretended to faint periodically.

Barbara grabbed her youngest son in her arms and asked, “Where’s your twin, Benjamin?”

“Aliza’s in her room drawing, Mommy. Look! I’m a cowboy! Pew pew!”

“Oh no!” Jasmine cried. “You got me! Bleh!” She pretended to die on the floor, which made Ben giggle.

Fourteen-year-old Percius rolled his eyes at his younger siblings and went back to his book, muttering about their childish antics.

Barbara could hear her nine-year-old dancer Iridessa through the ceiling and chuckled. She was probably singing at the top of her lungs too.

Making sure not to get ran over by Benjamin, Barbara went to sit by Charity, her eldest and the only child with the white hair of their mother, who had four-year-old Frisk in her arms, soothing the crying child.

Charity looked up. “Hello, Mother. How are you this fine morning?” she asked tiredly. She had just stopped a fight between Frisk and Ben for what felt like the millionth time. Those two never could seem to get along.

Barbara sat down next to her eldest daughter. She sighed. “I’ve been better. How are you?”

“Exhausted.”

“Hello, Exhausted. I’m Tired.”

Charity laughed. “Thanks. I needed that.”

Barb watched the smile spread across her eldest daughter’s face, then fade as she surveyed the children in the room.

Suddenly, Charity spoke. “They miss you. Every day they ask when you will come home, and I never know what to tell them. Every moment you aren’t home I have this petrifying fear that you won’t come home, that you’ll end up like Dad, on the...” She stopped, unable to keep speaking without the risk of bursting into tears.

Two years before, Leo Lionheart was killed in a car crash after another driver pushed his car off the road and down a forested hill. The authorities never found a body, just a mangled, bloodstained car.

Barbara placed an arm around Charity. “Well, I promise to let you know if I plan on crashing the car into any trees, all right?” Barb joked.

Charity smiled weakly, then it faded. She looked down at the sleeping Frisk in her arms, and sighed. “They’re just so young. Frisk won’t even remember her father. I don’t think the twins understand exactly what’s going on, but they can guess, and Iridessa, Jasmine, and Percy are dealing with it in their own ways, and Kaliyah... Kaliyah has more stress and responsibility than an eleven-year-old should. She takes care of the twins and Frisk most of the time, while I take the older ones. We’ve been working together to make sure that everyone is happy. She’s...”

“Absolutely amazing,” Barbara finished for her.

“Yeah. She is.”

“Breakfast is ready!” Kaliyah called from the kitchen.

Six heads popped up.

“FOOOOOOOOOD!!!” Ben cried as he and the other kids stampeded into the dining room for Kaliyah’s amazing cooking. Even Aliza and Iridessa came rushing down the stairs at the mention of Kaliyah’s food.

Barb laughed as she watched the other kids surround Kaliyah as she held the food above her head.

“Charity!” Kaliyah yelled over the chaos.

Charity shook her head with a slight smile on her face. “Coming, Kaliyah.” She took the food from Kaliyah and placed it on the table and started breakfast, saving Kaliyah from getting trampled.

“Thanks. I swear, I can’t keep up with them,” Kaliyah said gratefully as she sat down at the table and accepted a plate of food.

“Any time, sis,” Charity smiled and sat down next to her. “Now, let’s eat!”

Barbara took a seat and took a waffle from her daughter with a small smile. She was about to start eating when the doorbell rang.

“Now who could that be? I don’t remember inviting anyone over today,” Barb mused.

“I’ll get it!” Ben exclaimed as he proudly puffed out his chest and left the room.

The others heard the door open, and Ben speaking to whoever was at the door.

“Hello! Who are you?” he asked cheerily.

“I’m... a friend. Is your whole family home?” answered a soft female voice from the door.

Barbara tensed as she heard the voice. “No...” she muttered. “It can’t be... not here... not now...”

Charity and Kaliyah exchanged worried glances. If Barbara was afraid, they KNEW it was bad.

“Yep! We’re having breakfast!” Ben replied.

“Good. May I... come in?”

“I... think so. Can’t see why not!”

Barbara stood up from the table. “Stay here,” she told the children. Then she left the room.

“Ah. Barbara,” said the voice as Barb stepped into the entry hall. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it.” It wasn’t a question.

“Why are you here?” Barbara’s voice was cold, _barbed_ , even.

“Am I not allowed to visit an old friend and her family?” the voice asked in mock dismay.

“No. Now leave.”

“I’d be careful how you treat me, Barbara Lionheart.” The second voice’s tone had dropped to match Barbara’s, low and threatening. “We do not want a repeat of the last... incident, now do we?”

“You dare threaten me and my family in MY HOUSE, Calypso?” Barbara’s voice was rising.

“It is not a threat unless you are an enemy. Are you an enemy, Barbara?”

“I said leave, now leave.”

“On the contrary, I think I’ll stay a while. You have a nice place, Barbara, but it isn’t really... you, is it? Let’s make it a little more homey.”

“Ben, run.” Barb’s voice was frantic.

“But Mom, what’s going—” Ben asked in fear.

“I said run, Ben!” Barbara roared.

He ran. Oh, _he ran!_ He rushed right back into the dining room and under the table.

Frisk looked under the table at him. “Who was it, Benji?”

He was too terrified to correct her. “I... I-I don’t know. She wore a black cloak over a black dress and I didn’t see her face. She’s... some sort of monster or something!”

Charity stood up. “Kids, it’s time to go upstairs.”

Nobody questioned her when they heard the fighting in the living room. When they peeked in, Barbara was holding a double edged battle ax while wearing some sort of scaly, spiny armor. The other woman, who Barb had called Calypso, had her hands ablaze as she was chanting spell after spell and aiming them at Barbara.

The kids quietly sneaked past them and up the stairs to Barb’s room.

“Chara?” Frisk asked. She wasn’t old enough to pronounce most of her siblings names just yet, so they all had some sort of nickname. Charity was Cherry.

“Yes, Frisk?”

“Why is the mean girl hurting Mommy?”

“I... I don’t know, and right now, I don’t really want to find out.”

Suddenly, screams echoed through the house.

“Mom!” six kids exclaimed. Everyone except Charity and Kaliyah rushed back downstairs.

“Wait! Don’t—” Charity tried to warn them, but they didn’t hear her. She turned to Kaliyah.

“Charity... what’s going on? Who is that lady down there? Why is she trying to hurt Mom?!” Kaliyah asked desperately. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clutched the frying pan she had taken from the kitchen.

Charity wiped away Kaliyah’s tears before squatting down and taking the little girl’s hands in her own. “Kaliyah, I need you to do something, one last thing, for me.”

“What do you mean? What are you—”

“Just promise me. Promise me you will do whatever I say.”

“I... I promise.”

She let out a deep sigh of relief. “Thank you. I just wanted to hear you say it.” She looked Kaliyah in the eyes. “Kaliyah, when they come here, they will say we are dead. I need you to remember that we are not dead. No matter what they say, or what happens, we are not dead, and you are not alone. Whatever happens, you have to keep searching for us. Can you do that?”

“Charity, what are you talking about? You’re scaring me!”

Tears filled Charity’s eyes. “Someone has to stay behind. Someone has to remember. I’m sorry, Kaliyah. I’m sorry I have to do this to you, but I promise, it will all make sense one day.” She pulled her into a hug, and then shoved her in her mother’s closet and locked it.

“Charity! What are you doing?! Let me out!!” Kaliyah banged on the door, tears streaming down her face.

Charity looked away. “I’m sorry, Kaliyah, but this is the only way. We have to keep the magic alive.”

“What are you talking about?! Just let me out! Please!”

“Goodbye, Kaliyah. Stay safe, and remember the broken bones. They will aid you in your time of need.”

“Who are the broken bones?! Charity?! Charity come back!!”

But Charity was already gone. She had rushed back downstairs carrying a large black scythe to join the battle.

“Charity? Charity, come back. Please...”

But she wouldn’t come back. None of them would.

A few hours later when the cops would finally arrive, they would be far too late. All they would find inside the wreckage of the house would be a sobbing, terrified eleven-year-old girl, clutching a glowing green frying pan like her life depended on it.

_**And hundreds of broken bones...** _


	2. Kind Soul: Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been ten years since the incident at the Lionheart House, and Kaliyah has just come home to find things are about to get interesting...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! It's Canvas with a new update! Today we start on the main plot, so be ready. There is a reason this story is called Broken Bones. 
> 
> This chapter is technically split in two because the original is 33 pages and that's a lot to read at once, don't you think? So I'll save the next part for the next update and keep this one at 14 pages. It would have had a cliffhanger either way, so... Yeah. That's not changing.
> 
> Anywho, onto the story!

When the police arrived at the Lionheart residence responding to a call from a neighbor about screams, they were surprised to find the front door ripped off. The exterior of the house looked just fine otherwise, but the door... they knew immediately that this was no longer a public disturbance call. This was a potential crime scene. 

Stepping inside the house revealed even more damage, from the claw marks on all the furniture to the blood staining the walls to the bones... oh, there were so many bones! Everywhere you looked, broken bones littered the first floor. But, peculiar enough, there was no meat or anything like that. Just broken bones.

As they made their way upstairs, the damage seemed to increase. Then they reached the door to Barbara’s room. I should say, the door _way_ , as the actual _door_ was halfway down the hall. They stepped inside the room to find explosion marks all radiating from one door. All of the furniture was nothing but charred lumps of whatever materials they were originally made of, but they were so melted/burned, you couldn’t even tell what they were supposed to be! 

They were getting ready to leave after getting a full report of the house, when they heard crying from the desecrated bedroom. 

“What was that?” asked one of the officers. 

“A g-g-ghost?!” stuttered another cop.

“Don’t be silly,” snapped a third officer. “There must be someone trapped in the wreckage.” 

“Then let’s go find them!” the chief exclaimed. 

They rushed back into the room. 

“It’s coming from the closet!” said the first officer. 

“Break down the door!” the chief yelled. 

They forced the door open to find a tiny, terrified, sobbing, red-haired, green-eyed, soot-covered, eleven-year-old girl clutching a frying pan in her arms. When she saw the police, she held, no, **wielded** the frying pan in a defensive position as her eyes started to glow green. She looked threatening, but scared. 

“Who are you? Why are you here? Where is my family?” she growled. The officers could tell she had been crying for a while as there were tear stains down her cheeks. 

The chief put his hands up in surrender. “Hey, kid. We’re not here to hurt you. We just wanna know what happened to your family and your house. Do you remember anything?” 

She looked them over, not lowering the frying pan. Her scowl deepened. “She said you would come. She said you would tell me they are dead. They are not dead.” 

“Sure, kid. Then explain the bones on the first floor,” snapped the third officer. 

She looked lost for a moment as she contemplated that. “She summoned... skeletons. I heard them clawing at the door. Then she exploded them in her anger. She wanted me, but I don’t know why.” Her determined look returned. “They are alive. I know they are.” 

“ _‘She summoned skeletons.’_ Yeah, right. Next we’ll be getting calls about ghost hauntings! Nice one, kid.” 

“ **I’m not a liar!** It was the woman with the black cloak and the... glowing yellow eyes.” She seemed sorrowed by this thought. 

The chief glared at the officer and then stepped forward cautiously. When she let him approach, he got down on one knee and placed a hand on her shoulder, using the other one to help her lower the frying pan. “Do you have any other relatives that you can stay with while we look for your family?” he asked kindly. 

She thought for a moment, then said, “My Aunt Amy lives here in town I think. Amy Lionheart.” 

“Okay. Why don’t we take you to your aunt, Miss... What is your name?” 

“Kaliyah. Kaliyah Lionheart.”

“Miss Kaliyah. I promise, if your family is alive, we will find them.” 

“Promise?” 

“Promise.” 

It’s been ten years since he promised me that, and I’m still waiting for him to do good on his word. 

* * *

Hi. I’m Kaliyah, the girl from the story. That was my horrible backstory. Let’s get on with the show. 

I was taken to my Aunt’s place while they investigated the house. She cared for me the last seven years of my childhood. I graduated high school without any friends because the whole town thinks I’m cursed. I’m the _‘ghost girl’_ and the _‘lone survivor’_ and **_‘Broken Bones’_** to most people in town, and _‘miracle girl’_ to those who actually care about me. I don’t have the heart to tell them that Charity was the real hero. She saved me by locking me in that closet. She could have saved herself, but instead she chose me. I still don’t know why. It is one of the many mysteries that surround that day. 

The case of my missing family was abandoned by the police years ago. I can’t remember quite when, but I do know that I cried myself to sleep for a year after that. Aunt Amy yelled at the police chief a lot for that. 

But that’s beside the point. Point is, they cleaned up the house and now it’s livable again! Now that I’m back from my mission to Scottland (AMAZING PLACE by the way), I’ve been given the house. The huge, three-story white brick house that holds the worst memories of my childhood, and they’re giving it to me. How thoughtful of them, I know. (I was being sarcastic, for those who couldn’t tell.) Now the town really will think I’m cursed! Yay me!

But it’s not like I have a choice. Aunt Amy is leaving Ebott to search for my family, so I can’t stay with her anymore, and as a college student trying to become a doctor, I’m kinda broke. The home-owner’s insurance did replace all of the damage, so it’s not like I’ll be sleeping on the floor or anything. It’s just... I still haven’t gotten over the, ah, ‘ _incident_.’ That Calypso lady? She haunts my dreams. She still searches for me. I don’t... I don’t know why she does, but I NEVER want to meet her again.

**Now, back to the story, _at the Lionheart manor_...**

* * *

**It was 9:30 pm on December 21, 2019.** I was alone in the Lionheart manor, having lit a candle in the dark and placing it in front of my only remaining family picture. It’s one of all of us the summer before my eleventh birthday. I do have one of my father before he, ah, ‘died,’ but that one was safely tucked away in my room. (Yeah, I think that my father was a similar case to my family. Figures. Isn’t life cruel?) 

As I ran my fingers over their faces, each individual member, I touched what used to be me. A naive, smiling little ten-year-old in her big sister’s arms, unaware of the horrors that would occur on her special day. Oh how I wished that I could go back and warn her, to not follow Charity up the stairs and to fight! But alas, it’s not meant to be. After all, there is no such thing as magic, _right?_

“Hey, guys,” I told them, a soft smile spreading across my face as I imagined that they could actually hear me. “Hang in there. Me and Aunt Amy are looking. We will find you, someday, somehow. We will be a family again.” I brushed my hand over the faces of Mom, Charity, and little Frisk. “I... I promise.” 

I hate those words, _“I promise.”_ Over the years I have learned the hard way that they’re only that: empty words with no true meaning behind them. No one keeps their promises. It’s... odd. I guess the human race is just like that. 

I tried to imagine 14-year-old Frisk. She had always been short, even for a toddler, and we had a slight suspicion that she might have been going blind, as she always seemed to be squinting at everyone. Her love of sweaters would single her out in a heat stroke, and her favorite colors were always purple and blue. Honestly, if I were to see her today, I would absolutely recognize her. 

I smiled at the thought of Frisk knocking on my front door one of these days. That would be nice, but it would never happen. It just wouldn’t. 

I sighed and looked out the window of the living room to find the most extraordinary sight!

Two skeletons, like the ones who had attacked the house that day, were stumbling along down the street barely supporting each other!

I nearly ignored it, when I saw that the taller one had both of the bones in his forearm snapped in two. 

_**Broken bones...** _

I had decided to become a doctor because of two reasons: 1, I gave up cooking the day they disappeared (reminded me too much of my family, though I do do it sometimes, but never for other people), and 2, my sister’s final cryptic warning:

_“Goodbye, Kaliyah. Stay safe, and remember the broken bones. They will aid you in your time of need.”_

I tried to push that thought away. She could have meant anything by that. Literately anything. But my thoughts kept getting drawn back to the skeletons on the street. 

When the taller one collapsed on the pavement, it was the final straw. 

“Curse my kind heart,” I muttered as I grabbed my coat and put on my boots. “This is why you were picked on in high school, Kaliyah.” 

I didn’t really care. These two obviously needed my help, and so help me I was gonna give it to them. 

I stepped outside into the cold, snowy December night and marched up to them. The smaller skeleton was trying to coax the taller one into getting back up, but was failing miserably. 

“Come on, Papyrus!” he exclaimed worriedly. “You have to get up! We have to keep going and get away from those stupid kids!”

Kids. So it was a bunch of kids who did this to them. College kids, probably. I had heard a bunch of boys in school this morning talking about beating up a bunch of ‘monsters.’ (Their words, not mine.) These two must have been the ones they meant. But where did these two come from?

“Sans, I’m so... tired,” said the taller skeleton. “Can’t we just stop here for a while?”

“Sorry, bro. We have to keep going. I know you’re exhausted. Believe me, I am too.”

“You’re always exhausted, Sans.”

‘Sans’ chuckled. “You got me there, bro. Still, we have to find the others. I think Blue got hit harder than we did.” 

“Who’s Blue?” I asked. 

They both jumped. ‘Papyrus’ whimpered while ‘Sans’ looked ready to attack me.

That was when I got my first real look at the skeletons. 

The taller one, which the other had called Papyrus, was wearing what looked to be armor, which was why I was so surprised when he seemed to be afraid of me. He had a ripped red scarf around his neck that he clutched tightly in his gloved hands. Perhaps a treasured possession? I could roll with that. He seemed to have some sort of eyes, unlike his brother, which confused me. Maybe I could ask him about it later.

Meanwhile, the shorter one, which the other had called Sans, was in a defensive position in front of the other skeleton, maybe his younger brother, going off his behavior toward him. He was wearing a blue parka with a furred hood, black basketball shorts and blue tennis shoes despite the freezing December night, but I guessed that he didn’t get cold. His ‘eyes’ were made up of black eye sockets with white... eye lights? Yeah. Eye lights. He seemed rounder than the other skeleton, more... relatable, friendly-looking even. That was contrary to the dangerous look on his face. I nearly jumped a foot in the air when his right eye light disappeared and his left one turned bright blue.

“What do you want?” he growled. His voice was slightly shaky, as if he was afraid of me to some degree, though I couldn’t figure out why. He’s probably more dangerous to me than I could ever be to him. “Are you like those kids from earlier?! ‘Cuz if you try to hurt Papyrus, I swear I’m gonna—”

“Calm down. I’m not going to hurt the tall skeleton.” Geez, this guy is really tense! Those boys must have really done a number on them! “I’m here because you’re hurt. I’m training to be a doctor. Your anatomy is either the exact same or at least similar to mine. I can fix you. I can treat your injuries.”

Papyrus looked at Sans. He seemed exhausted and in a lot of pain. “Please Sans, let her help. She looks nice!”

Sans practically glared bloody murder at me, but his expression softened as he looked at Papyrus. _Definitely_ feeling that protective big brother vibe from Sans. “That’s what you said about those boys. They WEREN’T nice. Why would she be any different?!”

“Because you’re not the only ones this town hates,” I said softly, finally realizing why the boys had beat these two up. They were different too. They were like me.

That surprised them. Papyrus gave me a shocked expression, probably wondering what I could mean by that, while Sans looked at me, then at the house behind me, then back at me, realization dawning in his eyes. “You’re the ghost girl everyone was talking about, the lone survivor. You’re Broken Bones.” He seemed wary of me now. 

He must have been here in Ebott for a while if he knew those rumors. He and his ‘brother’ (that’s only a guess) must have arrived some time during the two years that I was on my mission. Now the only question remaining was _where did they come from?_ I’d have to ask them later.

I smiled softly, remembering all the mistreatment I had received from this town after my family’s disappearance. “I guess that is true, but usually my friends call me Kaliyah.” 

“Why is that?”

“Because it’s my name?”

That caught him off guard, and I chuckled slightly. I could already tell that I liked these two. 

“Oh! Right. Of course.” He looked at Papyrus, and then back at me. “Can you... really help him?”

“Yes. It’s my job.” I looked Sans over, noticing the pained posture he took. I guessed that he had a broken arm, a few broken ribs, his left leg fractured, and maybe a dozen more injuries I couldn’t name without a proper examination. He seemed to be in more pain than Papyrus, but was better at hiding it. I envisioned Sans trying to defend Papyrus from these large boys and taking most of the hits. I was liking him more already. Point was, Papyrus wasn’t the only one who needed help. “I can help you too.” 

He waved me away. “Nah. I’m fine. I’ve gotta look for the cousins anyway.”

“YOU’RE HURT?!” Papyrus exclaimed in horror. “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?!?!”

I winced at the sudden change in volume, but Sans didn’t even acknowledge it. I guessed this was normal for these two, if you could even call us normal. We could be the intro to a joke: Two skeletons and a cursed girl standing in the street on a freezing cold December night. If we were somebody’s practical joke, I didn’t want to be a part of the punchline.

”I’m fine, bro. Just fine. Honest!” Sans protested, obviously lying. “You stay here with... Kaliyah, and I’ll look for the others and bring them here, if you’re okay with that.” He looked at me warily. So he didn’t trust me. I could work with that.

“Sorry. That’s not an option. You’re coming inside, right now, so that I can bandage you both up. Then you’re staying at least the night so that I can keep an eye on your healing.”

“But the others—” Sans protested, but I cut him off.

“No but's. Inside. Now.” 

Sans grumbled a bit, but helped me get Papyrus inside and onto the couch after I turned on the lights and put away the picture and candle. (Sans looked at me strangely as I did that with a look of... sorrow? Empathy? It was the weirdest thing. Of course, the second he realized that I had seen it, he wiped it off his face and started taking care of Papyrus. I’d have to ask him about that later.) 

Once Sans was sure I wasn’t going to hurt either of them (he checked the painkillers for poison, my first aid kit for weapons, the living room for more of those college kids, and my kitchen for... I don’t even know what he was looking for there; what did he expect? Ninja assassins?), he relaxed and slumped onto the couch.

“So...” I said while splinting one of Papyrus’ broken bones. It would keep the bone from moving either until it healed fully or I found a better replacement. “Are you two related?” 

“WHY, YES, HUMAN! SANS IS MY BROTHER!” Papyrus proclaimed proudly, puffing out his chest like Ben used to before wincing when he moved his broken arm. He reminded me a lot of Ben back when... 

Idiot! You can’t think about that now. You have to focus on treating these two’s injuries, not have a mental breakdown over flashbacks to your past! 

I had also noticed that once I gave him the painkillers, Papyrus had started yelling. A lot. Was this normal?

“Can you bring it down a level, oh mighty Papyrus?” I asked, adding on that last bit because I knew it had worked with Ben. 

“SEE, SANS!! THIS HUMAN KNOWS OF MY MAGNIFICENCE!!! NYEH HEH HEH!!!” Papyrus grinned.

Did he really consider himself to be magnificent? How adorable! He really does act like Ben. He must be protected at all costs, I decided. 

“Also,” he continued, lowering his voice a bit, “What Do You Mean By ‘Bring It Down A Level’?”

“She means she wants you to be quieter, Paps,” Sans clarified.

“Oh... I’m Sorry, Am I Too Loud?” He seemed sincerely apologetic about that.

“Well... I would like it if my ears would stop ringing,” I joked. He wasn’t that loud, but he was pretty loud.

“Huh?” The perplexed look on his face was so precious I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and love him forever, but I figured that Sans wouldn’t approve of that.

I shook my head and began bandaging and splinting the second broken bone in his arm. I was still trying to figure out how his hand and arm above the two breaks hadn’t fallen off. Probably the same thing keeping these two from falling apart. “Never mind.” 

Another stretch of silence.

“Soooooo,” I said, not looking up as I treated the most severe of Papyrus’ injuries. “There were others who were hurt like you? By the college kids?”

“Yeah. Our... cousins. They look sort of like us.” He looked at me strangely. “... How did you know we were attacked by college kids?

I shrugged. “Actually, it was just a guess. College boys are really mean. But the real proof was that I heard some boys earlier this morning at school talking about beating up some ‘monsters,’” I explained with air quotes.

“Oh.”

“I didn’t know that they meant literal monsters! Uh, no offense.” 

“None taken. I’m proud to be a skeleton. I don’t understand how you can carry those huge flesh bags around everywhere.” He shuddered. “No thank you.”

I chuckled. “And I don’t understand how you can feel safe if you have nothing to cover your bones. You guys must get a lot of fractures like that.” 

“Actually, our bones are pretty thick, thicker than yours, apparently.”

I snapped my fingers. “Of course they’re thicker. They’d have to be. Otherwise you’d be in the hospital every other day. Do your fractures and breaks heal faster too?” 

“Yep. Like you said, we have to. Otherwise, we’d be in bed 24/7, and, as much as I’d love it, Papyrus would absolutely hate it.”

“THAT’S BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE BEING LAZY!!!” Papyrus snapped.

“Fascinating. You guys are absolutely amazing! Are all monsters like you?”

“NOPE! THERE ARE TONS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES! MY FRIEND UNDYNE IS A... FISH-LADY? THAT’S HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE HER...” Papyrus trailed off, probably thinking of his friend, Undyne. A worried look spread across his face. “UNDYNE... SHE MUST BE SO WORRIED... GOSH, SHE’S GOING TO KILL ME WHEN SHE REALIZES WHAT HAPPENED!!”

“Nah. She’s going to kill ME for letting you get hurt. I’d kill myself for letting you get hurt.” He realized what I had said to spark the turn in conversation. “What do you mean, ‘fascinating’? What do you mean, ‘you guys are amazing’?”

I sighed. This guy was really touchy, wasn’t he? “If you think I’m going to do experiments on you because I think the fact that you are living, moving skeletons is really cool, you can wipe that thought out of existence because I would never do that. I couldn’t do that to anyone. It’s... too close to home.” 

His posture showed that my words had relaxed him slightly, but his eyes were full of understanding. Perhaps his life hadn’t been all sunshine and rainbows either.

I sighed. _Charity,_ I silently pleaded. _Who are these people? How did you know they would need my help? Please, tell me something. Anything! What am I supposed to do?!_

No answer. If Charity could hear me, she said nothing. As usual.

I sighed and stood up, getting ready to leave.

Sans watched me with a perplexed expression. “Where are you going?”

“To find your cousins. Where else? I mean, you won’t let me treat your injuries, so I might as well help your friends.” 

It was true. Sans refused to let me even examine his injuries until I had COMPLETELY treated Papyrus, and if I’m being honest I probably wasn’t even HALF done with all of his injuries, but if this was the damage that was done to these two, and if what Sans had said about someone named Blue who had been ‘hit harder than us’ was true (which really worried me), then my talents were needed more elsewhere.

“You don’t even know where they are. You don’t even know what they look like!” Sans protested.

Why was he being so abstinent with all of this?! I just want to freaking HELP!!! CAN’T HE SEE THAT?!

But I didn’t yell. Instead, I asked, “Do you have a phone?” 

“... Yes.”

I put my hands together. “Great! I’ll give you my number, then you can call me and tell me what they look like while I’m driving around looking for them.” 

“But—”

Papyrus interrupted him with a glare. “SANS, SHE WANTS TO HELP. LET HER HELP.”

Thank you, Papyrus! That’s right! Drill that into your brother’s THICK SKULL SO THAT HE WILL LET ME HELP HIM!!!!

Sans hesitated, then sighed. “... Fine. They probably won’t trust you if you just come up saying that you want to help them.”

That was actually a good point. 

“Again, that’s why you’ll call me while I’m out looking. Then I can give them the phone and you can explain everything to them.” 

“I’d like someone to explain all of this to me,” he mumbled. I don’t think he intended me to hear him.

“What was that?” 

He sighed again. “Nothing.”

“Kay. Now, I’m going to leave you two here, and if you leave the house, I swear you will pay for it. You are in no condition to go anywhere. I’m looking at you, Sans.” I glared at him. I had a feeling that he wasn’t good at following rules.

“But—fine. Whatever.” He sighed and sunk into the couch.

“SANS, SHE MEANS NO SHORTCUTS.”

“ _Shortcuts_?” What in the world are shortcuts? Should I know what that is?

Sans waved it off. “It’s nothing. Just something I like to do.”

“Okay...” 

Then I realized what these skeletons must be made of, and what the shortcuts might be. 

“Wait... do you... have magic?!” I asked, my face lighting up at the prospect. 

“WHY, YES WE DO!” Papyrus said proudly. “NYEH HEH HEH!!” (Gosh, I love that laugh.)

“That is so cool! Later, can we talk about the mechanics of magic? Please? I love magic. And the idea of magic. It’s just amazing!” 

Sans looked at me. “You... like magic? You don’t think we’re freaks?”

“Of course not. I think you’re cool and that you could be really cool friends to have. If your cousins are anything like you too, then the more the merrier!” 

“Huh. That’s... really cool. What did you say your name was?”

“Kaliyah. Kaliyah Harmony Lionheart.”

“Huh. Fitting.”

“What do you mean by that?” 

“You really do have a kind _Lion_ heart.” He grinned at his own pun, but the smile didn’t seem to reach his eyes. This was a man who had been broken one too many times.

“SANS!!! NO!! PLEASE, NO PUNS!!!” Papyrus yelled. 

I laughed. I hadn’t laughed like this in years. I was gonna be just fine with these guys. 

“Well, you’re a pretty _punny_ guy yourself, Sans.” 

“NOOOO!!! SANS, YOU’VE INFECTED THE HUMAN WITH IT TOO!!!”

I laughed harder. When I finally got control of my emotions once more, I gave Sans my phone number, grabbed my keys, and made my way to my car. 

But as I left, I heard Sans say something that shocked me: 

“Maybe... maybe she really can help us, Paps. Maybe...

**“Maybe she really does care.”**

I stopped in the doorway to the garage, out of his sight, hoping that he would go on, that he would explain what he meant, but when he didn’t, I got into my car, started it, and left. 

_**I’d have to find out what he meant later.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's my cliffhanger! This is getting interesting! Next part we'll meet the other four and learn a little bit more about our protagonist. Until then, toodle-oo!
> 
> Canvas out!
> 
> EDIT: I was playing with the fonts on this chapter. Papyrus doesn't work. XP And I'm too frustrated to go back through and change it back again. This is probably going to be the only chapter where I change the font. It's too frustrating and I have better things to do. (STUPID THINGY--GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!) Over and out.


	3. Kind Soul - Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It seems that after saving TWO skeletons, Kaliyah must go out in search of the other four. I wonder what she'll find.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Shardsy again. Sorry it's been a while. I have no sense of schedule or time, really. It's kinda sad. 
> 
> Anywho! I'm glad people like this story! At least one Kudos, a subscription, and my first comment on AO3?! I love it! I really like having feedback from you guys, so this means a LOT to me. The more comments I get, the more incentive I have to write, after all. 
> 
> Welp, I've talked long enough. Here's the second part of Kind Soul, where we learn a LITTLE bit more about Kaliyah and who she is. 
> 
> Enjoy!

After about half an hour of searching the town of Ebott, the first skeleton cousin I found on the road was kinda... edgy. I had a hard time believing that he was related to the two currently laying on the couch in my living room. 

“I think I found them,” I told Sans over the phone. “Or at least one.”

 _“What do they look like?”_ he asked me on the other end. According to him, Papyrus was asleep on the couch, which I was thrilled about. The more sleep he got, the faster he’d heal. Supposedly, anyway. It’s one of those doctor superstitions that nobody knows if it’s actually true.

“Like Papyrus, except red and black and sharp and quite possibly dangerous to my health,” I half-joked. Sans and I had gotten into a soft ‘routine’ of constantly joking with each other. It was actually really relaxing. It had been years since I had truly laughed like this, and I think he could tell. 

_“Yep. That’s Edge and Fell for ya’. I wonder why Edge is alone. He and Fell are almost inseparable! By the way, be careful when approaching him. He’s more_ attack first _and_ ask questions later _.”_

“So basically, he’s like you,” I said with a knowing grin.

 _“Hey! I asked questions,"_ Sans protested. _"I didn’t attack you.”_

“You were totally going to. The second you had established that I was an actual threat, you would have attacked me... somehow. Don’t know quite how since I don’t think you actually carry anything that would be considered a weapon, but you would have. Maybe you would have thrown your sneakers at me?”

 _“I would have done something much worse than thrown my sneakers at you, I can promise you_ that,” he said in a darker tone.

I processed that for a moment. “... Well _that_ took a dark turn.”

_“Sorry.”_

“It’s fine. I was kinda asking for it. Now, you said his name is Edge? I don’t want to offend him. I have a feeling that wouldn’t end well. Specifically for me.”

_“Probably not, though I have no doubt that you would put up a heck of a fight before going down, maybe even taking Edge with you. But then Papyrus would be mad at me for not stopping Edge from murdering his new friend. And mad at him for killing you, actually. Anyway, what you need to know is Edge looks like Paps and Fell looks like me.”_

I laughed. “Thanks. And I’ll try my best not to die then.” 

_“That’s a relief. Be careful, Kaliyah.”_

“Don’t worry. I will be.”

I parked my 12-seater van on the side of the road (I LOVE my van), leaving the engine running, and got out, walking over to the squinting skeleton in the headlights. 

Edge really did have a striking resemblance to Papyrus, except for the fact that he wore mostly black, had eye lights like Sans, and had HUGE FANGS. Jeepers that guy had fangs. One bite could take my arm clean off. He even had the same tattered red scarf around his neck. As I looked him over, I realized he was: a, wearing high heels, and b, taller than Papyrus, which I didn’t think was possible. He looked at me with a hostile expression. 

“WHAT DO YOU WANT, HUMAN? HAVE YOU TOO COME TO HURT US?” he snarled. His voice betrayed his exhaustion and pain. I was surprised that he hadn’t collapsed like Papyrus had, especially since he was absolutely alone, but the determined look in his eye sockets told me that he was on a mission and by gosh he was going to complete it. What that mission was, I didn’t know, but I was determined to find out.

“‘Us’?” I asked, confused. Then I realized something I hadn’t before. I had noticed early on that Edge was clutching something against his chest, and I could tell that he was absolutely ready to defend it. But what I had assumed to be some sort of bundle that Edge was carrying was actually a short skeleton in red sneakers, black basketball shorts, a red sweater, and a black fur-hooded parka. 

**Fell.**

Fell, the one that Sans had said almost never left Edge’s side, was unconscious in Edge’s arms. I could tell from the labored breathing (do skeletons even breathe?) and the irregular rise and fall of his chest that he had passed out from pain and exhaustion. I could also tell something else, something that really worried me.

I stepped closer to try and see Fell better, and Edge growled. “STAY B-BACK!” 

I held up my hands in surrender. “I just want to help. I can tell Fell is hurt—”

“HOW... How do you know his name?” Edge asked, surprised.

“Sans told me—”

“LIAR. SANS HATES HUMANS,” Edge snapped.

Really? Was that why he was so cold toward me? That... actually explained a lot, to be honest.

“I can prove it. I have Sans on the phone in the car. Do you want me to go get the phone? Or do you want to skip the formalities and just get in the car so I can treat your brother’s broken ribs?” He looked at me, stunned, and I drove on. “I can’t do a proper examination without actually seeing him, but I can tell that at least two of his ribs are broken, and I don’t know if you guys have lungs or anything, but at least one of those broken ribs is either poking or puncturing something and it’s causing him a world of pain. He might even be bleeding internally, though it’s hard to tell with the red sweater he's wearing. If you want to sit here and argue with me while your brother dies in your arms that’s fine by me but I am **_NOT_** going to just stand by and watch him suffer! You _**WILL**_ get in that car and you _**WILL** _let me examine the two of you and you _**WILL**_ help me save your brother’s life or _**so help me I will MAKE YOU!**_ Do you understand me?”

Edge didn’t say anything. He just stood there, looking me up and down, Fell in his arms. 

“WHO... Who are you?” he asked me in awe. 

I took a deep breath, trying to regain a hold on my temper as I replied, “My name is Kaliyah Lionheart, and I am here to help.” 

I held out my hand, and he took it. I led him to the van and opened the side door and took Fell from him so that he could climb in before he took Fell from me once more. 

“There’s a first aid kit in the back," I told him. "Do you know how do splint a broken bone?” 

“Of course," he said proudly, though I could tell he was still wary of me. "Every skeleton knows how to splint broken bones. We have to.” 

“Good," I said. "If he has any other broken bones, splint them, but leave the rib cage alone. Though if you can get his coat and sweater off, that would be great. I have to find the other two before I can treat him though. Sorry.” 

Edge nodded. “DO YOUR DUTY, AND I WILL DO MINE!” he promised, his voice back to the same volume that Papyrus used. Was that normal?

I nodded at him, then closed the side door and got in the front seat and turned the car back on. It had started to snow, and I was getting worried that I wouldn’t find the other two before the snow got so bad that I wouldn’t be able to see. 

“Edge is in the back with Fell. Fell is in really bad shape,” I told Sans. 

For a moment, Sans didn’t say anything. 

“Sans?” I asked, worried something was wrong back at the house and ready to turn around if my suspicion was correct.

 _“Did you actually yell at Edge?”_ he asked finally. 

“Yeah... Wait. Did you hear that?” I asked. 

_“Yeah,"_ he confirmed. _"I heard all of it, and Papyrus woke up about halfway through. I can’t believe you’re not dead!”_

“He didn’t know what to say,” I remembered, thinking of Edge's reaction.

_“That’s because **nobody** yells at Edge! He’s killed dozens of monsters for lesser insults!” _

“So I’ve got a murderer in my back seat. Big flippin’ deal. Anything else I should know about your family?” 

I wasn’t being sarcastic. I actually didn’t care that Edge was a murderer. If I saw him on the street before tonight then sure, I’d try to avoid him because that guy is _seriously_ intimidating. But after seeing him hold his brother in his arms the way he did, ready to absolutely wreck me if I tried to hurt his precious brother, I saw a different side of him, one that cared for his brother more than anything. Wherever Edge and Fell had come from, it was not a good place, and it showed in the way they dressed, the way Edge acted, and the way Edge talked, but that didn't mean that family wasn't still important to them. 

“Tell me, Sans, does Edge care for Fell?” I asked, wanting to know his opinion and compare it to my own. After all, Sans knew him a lot better than I did.

 _“Hm. Maybe. I mean, Fell is his older brother, but Edge tries not to show that he cares about him,"_ Sans mused. _"In his..._ home _, caring for another person is considered a weakness, so I guess you’d have to ask him yourself. I’m pretty sure he respects you now, and if he doesn’t, he’s insane.”_

“One more question: can Edge drive?” 

_“Yeah. Why?”_ Sans asked suspiciously. 

I turned around. “Hey Edge.” 

“Yes, Human?” he replied.

“Why don’t you drive while I take care of your brother?" I suggested. "I’ll need you to keep an eye out for... who’s left?” I asked Sans.

 _“Stretch and Blueberry,”_ he replied.

So Blue _was_ one of the ones who had been attacked. Sans had mentioned that he had been hit harder than the others... That was bad. 

“Stretch and Blueberry," I repeated to Edge. "I need you to drive around town and look for them while I help your brother.” 

“... OKAY,” he replied.

We switched places, Edge getting into the front seat while I climbed into the back next to his brother, Sans still on the phone connected to the radio so he could hear all of us and we could all hear him, and Edge started driving around town. 

True to his word, Edge had gotten Fell’s sweater and coat off along with his tennis shoes, leaving him in a gray t-shirt, black basketball shorts, and gray socks. I lifted up the shirt (with Edge’s permission, of course) to find a bare rib cage, many of the ribs cracked or broken, around an upside-down white heart that had a large crack down the middle. (I’d have to remember to ask Fell about that later, when he was fully healed.) Several of the broken ribs were touching it, and I could tell from how he flinched in his sleep when I touched those ribs that it hurt a lot. 

I first helped him take some painkillers using the information Edge gave me, and then began setting the broken ribs back into place. A couple were shattered partially. It was a miracle that the pieces of the bone hadn’t gotten lost, but I guess that’s magic for ya’. 

I turned to Edge. “What hit him?!” I asked in alarm. These were pretty serious injuries.

“UH, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS A LARGE MAN WITH A METAL BASEBALL BAT,” he replied.

I stared at Edge in horror. “He was hit with WHAT?!?!” 

_“I told you not to tell her!”_ Sans scolded him.

“WELL, WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO SAY THEN?!” Edge protested

_“I don’t know. You think of something! The only thing you DON’T do is tell Kaliyah what actually happened!”_

“Sans," I said seriously, "what happened to Papyrus?” 

_“Uh... Do I have to tell you?”_ he asked tentatively.

“Yes,” I replied. 

_“Oh... I’ll wait until you get back to the house,”_ he decided.

“Fine," I scowled. "I have to care for Fell anyway.” 

After I bandaged/splinted all of Fell’s injuries, I got his sweater on and laid his coat on top of him. Ten minutes later, he bolted into an upright position. 

“Boss!” he exclaimed, breathing heavily while cold sweat dripped down his skull. Then he realized he wasn’t where he was ‘supposed to be’ and saw me. “Who are you?" he asked. "Where’s Pap?” 

“Pap’s in my house, hopefully asleep on my couch,” I told him, to try and calm him down. 

Fell stared at me like I was from the moon. “... What?” he asked, surprised.

“SHE MEANS VANILLA, FELL,” Edge called from the front. 

“Who is Vanilla?” I asked, confused.

“UH... IT DOESN’T MATTER RIGHT NOW," he told me. "WE HAVE TO FIND STRETCH AND BLUE BEFORE THE SNOW GETS ANY WORSE!” 

“Boss! Are you... okay?” Fell asked him, sounding concerned for his brother's welfare.

“I’M... I’m fine, S—Fell," he replied, softening his harsh tone and exchanging it for a kind and caring one as he spoke to his older brother. "Are _YOU_ all right? It was VERY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR YOU TO TAKE THAT HIT FOR ME LIKE THAT.” Aaaaaaaaand it was back to scolding. Great.

Fell looked down. “S-sorry, Boss,” he said apologetically.

“What are you apologizing for?!" I asked him in disbelief. "It sounds like you saved your brother’s life!” 

Fell blinked in surprise before saying, “Well... me, Sans, and Stretch... Wait. How do I know I can trust you?”

“SHE SAVED YOUR LIFE!" Edge told him emphatically. "I... I was unable to do anything but watch. I’m... I’m sorry, brother. I should have protected you more, with your one HP—” 

“Woah, woah, woah," I said, putting my hands up and looking at Fell. "You have only _one_ _HP_?! Like, in video game health?! Like, ONE HIT AND YOU’RE DEAD?!?!” I asked him in horror. 

_“There you go again, Edge! I told you not to let Kaliyah hear that kind of stuff!”_ Sans scolded him.

“SORRY. I WAS... NEVER MIND.”

Fell looked at me strangely. “You... saved me?" he repeated in wonder. "Why? You don’t know me! I’m nothing to you!”

I let out a deep sigh. “It’s... a long story," I began. "Let’s just say that exactly ten years ago tonight, I was told that I would need to remember the broken bones and that they would aid me in my hour of need. Two hours later, my home was in ruin, and my whole family was gone. Everyone says they’re dead, but I know they’re not.” 

“How?” Fell asked immediately.

“What?” I asked in reply, confused.

“How do you know they are not dead? Do you have proof?” he asked.

I shook my head. “It’s... not like that. It’s more of a feeling, a voice that tells me to keep searching, to keep fighting, and that at the end of the road, I’ll find them again. You just gotta have faith and a little kindness, and you’ll go far.” 

No one spoke for a few minutes, processing what I had said. Then it was Papyrus that broke the silence. 

_“Human,”_ he began timidly, his voice coming from the phone quieter than I would have expected, as if he had softened his tone significantly, _“Where is your family? Sans said he looked around the entire house and it’s full of things belonging to different people, but no one else is here. Why... Why are you alone? Do you have no friends? No relatives?"_

“No, actually," I said a little sadly. "The whole town thinks I’m cursed because my family disappeared ten years ago. They all hate me and think I’m bad luck. In fact, you probably should stay away from me after tomorrow. Hanging with me in this town is social suicide.” 

“WHAT IS SOCIAL SUICIDE?” Edge asked.

“It means everyone will hate you too,” I explained. 

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, sweetheart, but that ship sailed a year ago when we arrived. Everyone hates us already,” Fell said matter-of-factly. “We’ve kind of gotten used to it.”

“Oh. That’s... horrible. You’ve been here that long, and they still haven’t changed?” I asked.

 _“Nope. They call us freaks whenever we go anywhere public. But this is the first time they’ve gotten really violent,”_ Sans told me over the phone.

“I’m sorry," I told them sincerely. "I just got back from my mission a few weeks ago. I haven’t really stayed current with the goings-on since I got here. Mostly trying to cram as much study into the end of this semester so that I can ace next semester when I actually start. I’ve been meaning to ask, where did you guys come from?” 

_“Underneath Mt. Ebott for the last 300 years,”_ Sans said simply. _“A..._ new friend _broke the barrier holding us back, and now we’re here with you wonderful humans. You’d think you guys might have changed even a little bit over the years, but nooo. You get **WORSE**! Explain that one!”_

The two skeletons in the car nodded in agreement. 

“FACE IT SANS. HUMANS ARE INCAPABLE OF CHANGE. THEY USE EVERYONE ELSE JUST SO THEY CAN GET HIGHER,” Edge snarled.

“Not all humans are like that,” I said softly. 

All three skeletons fell silent. (Pun not intended.) 

_“Of course, there are exceptions to that rule. You seem to be one. Our human friend is another,”_ Sans said apologetically. 

I didn’t say anything. I couldn't. I was lost in a flashback, the lady Calypso’s angry glowing eyes burning into my soul. 

“... Sweetheart?" came Fell's voice. "Sweetheart! LADY, WAKE UP!”

Suddenly I was back in the present being shaken by Fell in the backseat of my van. Edge, Papyrus, and Sans were watching me worriedly from the row of seats in front of us. 

“ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, HUMAN? SANS WAS VERY WORRIED WHEN FELL AND EDGE SAID YOU HAD STOPPED RESPONDING TO THEIR CALLS. SO WORRIED IN FACT THAT HE _INSISTED_ WE LEAVE YOUR HOUSE TO CHECK ON YOU, EVEN THOUGH YOU SAID NOT TO,” Papyrus said worriedly, as if he was afraid of angering me. 

I sat up and looked into their faces, my gaze falling on Sans, whose previously worried expression had turned into a sheepish smile under my soft glare. 

“I thought... I thought I told you not to leave the house,” I mumbled. 

“You weren’t responding," he explained. "You’ve been out cold for fifteen minutes, but you were awake the whole time. You wouldn't respond to anything we did. We all tried to wake you up, but only when Fell tried the second time did it work.” 

“You okay, doll?” Fell asked me.

 _Idiot!_ I scolded myself. _You can’t break down in front of these guys. It’s... something!_ “Fine, I think. It was just another flashback. This is pretty normal,” I explained. 

That seemed to worry them even more. 

“IS THIS JUST A YOU THING OR A HUMAN THING?” Edge asked. 

“Uh, I’m pretty sure it’s just a 'me' thing, but I’ve heard that people with PTSD get flashbacks,” I replied.

“What is PTSD?” Sans asked me, worry showing again. 

“I’LL GO START DRIVING AGAIN,” Edge decided, getting up and moving. “WE DO STILL NEED TO FIND STRETCH AND BLUE.”

“Fine by me," I replied. "Just don’t hit any pedestrians, ‘Kay?” 

“I MAKE NO PROMISES,” he answered. I could hear the smile in his voice. 

“Promise it or you’re not driving,” I said seriously. 

“FINE! NO HITTING PEDESTRIANS. ANYTHING ELSE?” he grumbled.

“Make sure you have the headlights on. The snow seems worse than before,” I told him. 

“It actually got worse right after you stopped responding to our calls,” Fell mused. 

“Huh. Odd.” I would have to add that to the list of crazy things I don't have an explanation for about my life.

“Explain PTSD please,” Sans coaxed. 

“PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a disorder that people get after a really really really really really bad experience," I explained. "War is one example, death is another. In a way, I guess I have PTSD. The experience that triggered it though... I don’t really feel like talking about it.” 

“That bad?” Fell asked sympathetically. Seriously, where had this guy come from that he sympathize with PTSD victims?!

“You don’t even know the half of it, Fell," I replied. "The house that Sans and Papyrus were in? It looks like that after really extensive cleanup and replacement of all that was lost.”

“CLEAN UP OF WHAT?” Papyrus asked curiously. 

“Ah, well, blood, explosion marks, ruined furniture, and...” I trailed off, remembering who I was talking to.

“And what?” Fell asked.

I sighed. They'd find out eventually. “Bones," I told them. " _Hundreds_ of broken bones littered the first floor when the cops arrived. The only thing I know for certain is that they weren’t my family’s bones.” 

All four skeletons stared at me in horror and disbelief, with Edge even stopping the car to turn around and stare at me. 

“Yeah, I had a feeling you guys wouldn’t like that part,” I said. 

“You mean that when humans die, their bones don’t turn to dust too?” Fell asked with a shudder. 

“Um, no?" I replied with a raised eyebrow. " _Nothing_ turns to dust. Everything but the bones decays though. All that is left is a skeleton. That’s... actually probably the reason that those boys beat you all up. Skeletons are unnerving to most people unless they’re gothic or something like that. I mean the people, not the skeleton. A gothic skeleton... I’m sorry guys, but I think I might run from that,” I joked, trying to lighten the mood. 

Sans nodded. “I understand. That... would be really weird. Like seeing a pile of dust walking around for a monster. Papyrus, stop trying to envision human death please.” 

“BUT I CAN’T SEE HOW THEY ARE OKAY WITH NOT TURNING TO DUST WHEN THEY DIE!” Papyrus objected.

I chuckled. “It’s not like we have a choice, Papyrus. We don’t get to choose to turn to dust, and we don’t have a set number of HP either, at least, not that I know of. Being a doctor would be SO much easier if we did. Besides, isn’t it nice to have an actual body to bury?” 

“So THAT was what they were going to do with the shovels,” Fell mused. “I thought they were going to hit us with ‘em.” 

“They. Were going. To WHAT?!?!” I asked in horror and alarm.

“FIRST RULE WITH KALIYAH: DON’T TELL HER WHAT HAPPENED TO US BECAUSE SHE SEEMS TO FREAK OUT EVERY TIME WE DO, FELL,” Edge scolded him. 

“FREAK OUT?!" I cried. "FREAK OUT?!?! _I’M_ FREAKING OUT?!?! ARE YOU EVEN AWARE OF WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO TO THE SIX OF YOU WITH THOSE SHOVELS?!?!” 

“Uh...” Fell began, but I went on.

“THEY WERE GOING TO BURY YOU ALIVE!!!” I shouted.

“WHAT?!” Sans and Fell stared at me in horror. 

Papyrus was hugging his knees in the front row. “You know Sans, I don’t think those boys are very nice anymore.” 

Sans sat down next to his brother. “Yeah, they’re really not, but not everyone is as bad as they are. Kaliyah here, Frisk with Toriel—“ 

“You know someone named Frisk?” I asked.

“Uh... Yeah," Sans replied. "Why?” 

“Franzciska Lionheart?” I prompted.

“We don’t know her last name... We need to introduce you to Toriel when this is all over,” he decided. 

Edge interrupted us. “I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE HAVING ' _FUN_ ' DISCUSSING HUMAN DYING HABITS AND OUR TORMENTORS’ NEFARIOUS INTENTIONS, BUT I THINK WE FOUND WHO WE WERE LOOKING FOR.” 

I climbed up to the front and saw two skeletons in the headlights. One was wearing an orange hoodie and cargo pants with tennis shoes, which I thought was odd for a Utah winter, but in his arms was a little short blue Papyrus, unconscious from pain... 

This must be Blue. 

Sans jumped out of the car and rushed toward them. “How bad is he?” he asked.

“Pretty bad... where’d you guys get the van?” the tall skeleton asked. 

“A new friend, a doctor, is helping us out, Stretch. Now I know what you’re going to say," he said, noticing the tall skeleton's distrusting look. "I didn’t really trust her at first either. But she has saved lives tonight. Papyrus, Fell, me, Edge... she took us in. Now get in the car and let her have a look at the two of you before you both freeze to death.”

“Sans, we both know that’s not possible. Skeletons can’t freeze,” he replied tartly. 

“Does that really matter?" Sans asked. "I don’t want to have to get Edge out here to force you into the car, Stretch, but I will. Now Get. In. The. Car.”

Stretch slowly made his way into the back seat where I was sitting with Blue in his arms. Blue was in really bad shape. 

“So you’re the doctor?” he asked me. 

“Doctor in training, but bones are pretty simple, though putting Fell’s shattered ribs back together so I could bandage them was a real challenge. A real nightmarish jigsaw puzzle, to be honest.” 

“YOU COULD HAVE ASKED FOR HELP, HUMAN—I MEAN, KALIYAH,” Edge said. “I WOULD HAVE READILY ASSISTED YOU IN THE SAVING OF MY BROTHER.” 

“You were busy talking to Sans and driving and looking for these two. I had it under control,” I promised. 

“You... really did help them?” Stretch asked. 

“She practically dragged me and Papyrus into her living room so that she could bandage us after Paps collapsed on the street in front of her house,” Sans told him with Papyrus nodding in confirmation. “It was... actually kind of funny. She gets up after treating Pap’s worst wounds and says, ‘ _I’m gonna find your cousins_ ’ like she was off to the grocery store! Then, when she finds Edge, she **_yells_ **at him! And I mean a full-blown lecture! Then she gets into the back seat of her van, gives Edge the wheel, starts working on Fell who was unconscious, and after she's done treating him, she had some sort of flashback and passed out for fifteen minutes! Papyrus and I took a shortcut here to try and wake her up, and then we found you two.”

“Actually, I woke up because I had this horrible feeling that someone was dying...” I added him.

“HONESTLY, KALIYAH? THAT MIGHT BE EVEN MORE WORRYING THAN JUST HAVING FLASHBACKS!” Papyrus told me. 

“Sorry?” I replied, not sure how to respond to that.

“Sounds like you guys have had quite the adventure,” Stretch remarked.

“Yep," I agreed. "The cursed girl and my six skeleton buddies. Aren’t we a crew?” 

Stretch gave me a strange look. “What?”

“This is the Broken Bones girl I told you about,” Sans said. “The one the whole town thinks is cursed.” 

“Actually, the people at my church call me a miracle child," I corrected him. "So does my aunt Amy, but she’s not in town at the moment...” I turned to Stretch. “Now, what happened to Blue and why did Sans say that he was hit worse than the rest of you.” 

Sans winced. “You heard that?” 

“Yep. Sans, don’t tell him to lie. I can’t give a proper examination without ALL the facts,” I said with a glare.

“Oh... in that case, Papyrus was being beaten by a guy with a shovel,” Sans told me. 

“That explains why he doesn’t have as many breaks as Fell, who was hit with a metal baseball bat," I mused, only half talking to him. "The shovel would definitely cut into bone if it hit with the sharper edge, but it would be harder to break it if they were using the flat side of the blade unless they were really REALLY strong. He’ll probably have more bruises than breaks and fractures, but he’ll definitely be _REALLY_ sore for a while. He must have been hit a decent amount by that guy for his arm to break like that.” I looked at Fell. “You, on the other hand, (even without your 1 HP) would have only needed to be hit once with the metal baseball bat for your ribs to break because A, ribs break kinda easy (I mean, the best way to tell that CPR is working is if the ribs are breaking), and B, the metal bat would have a lot of force behind it, especially when wielded by a college boy in his prime. You stood no chance against someone like that.” 

“Gee, thanks Kaliyah. I love your enthusiasm. I couldn’t tell when a six-foot-one guy came up to me and Edge being held down by eight other guys with this manic grin on his face that he was gonna give me and my little bro a bad time,” Fell said sarcastically. 

“So you are the older one," I said, filing away that piece of information away for later. "I was wondering about that.” 

“YEP. THE SHORT ONE IS THE OLDER ONE IN OUR FAMILY. IT’S WEIRD LIKE THAT,” Papyrus confirmed.

“Huh. Like Mario and Luigi,” I mused. 

“Who?” Fell asked.

“Never mind," I said, waving it away as it wasn't important. "Now, what happened to Blue?” 

Stretch shuffled uncomfortably. “The guy who went after me and Blue... he had a... 50-pound... sledgehammer.”

The other four skeletons looked warily at me, waiting for my response, but I said nothing. I was too busy taking Blue from him and looking him over, tears starting to fill my eyes.

He was even worse than I had originally thought. His skull was cracked, and his rib cage was an absolute mess. His arms and legs were either fractured or completely broken, and there were some bones that were completely shattered. He would need a miracle to survive all of this damage, and unfortunately, we didn’t have a priesthood holder with us at the moment.

“How many?” I finally asked quietly, not even looking up.

“What?” Stretch asked me in surprise.

The others were watching me, most likely waiting for me to explode, but there wasn’t time for me to freak out right now about the injustices of humanity. I had to save Blue.

“How many times did he hit him with that sledgehammer?" I repeated. "How much damage did he do to your brother? Surely you know.” 

“I... I do," Stretch confirmed. "He took the hits that were intended for me along with the ones meant for him. He wouldn’t move. He was hit at least 53 times with that sledgehammer, and I... I was powerless to stop them. Once Blue had fallen, the guy went after me, and I was only hit a few times at awkward angles before I was able to get away with Blue in my arms. I... I failed him. I failed my older brother.” 

“How much HP does he have left?” I asked.

He blinked in surprise. “How do you...”

“Edge mentioned it," I explained. "Can you tell how much he has? Is there a way to do that?” 

“There... there is," he confirmed. "He has 680 HP normally, but all that abuse... he only has one HP left.” 

“No.” 

“What?” he asked, startled at my tartness.

“He is NOT dying tonight. He WILL live to see another sunrise," I said determinedly. "Mark my words, I WILL find a way to save him even if I have to sacrifice myself to do it. HE WILL LIVE.” 

Now, this is where I blacked out, so this was told to me later, but the guys said my eyes, which had flashed red for a moment, began to glow bright green along with my hands as I laid them upon what I would later learn was Blue’s soul. The others scrambled back as Blue began to glow as well, but orange. 

“K-Kaliyah? What are you—” Sans stammered, but was cut off by me starting to say something:

 _“Goodbye, Kaliyah. Stay safe, and remember the broken bones. They will aid you in your time of need,”_ I mumbled softly to myself. 

“KALIYAH, STOP! PLEASE! YOU’RE... YOU’RE SCARING US!” Papyrus cried. 

I chuckled to myself, oblivious to the skeletons’ fears or that they were even still there. “You were right, Charity, my dear sister," I said to no one in particular. "I remembered the broken bones of the past, and consequently found the shattered souls of the present. They will aid me in my hour of need. But in doing so, I make them a promise in return: I will aid them in theirs.” My hands were ablaze with green fire now, still wrapped around the tiny skeleton’s white cracked soul. 

Stretch was being held back by the others as he tried to attack me. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY BROTHER, YOU MANIAC?!?! GET AWAY FROM HIM!!! LEAVE HIS SOUL ALONE!!” he shrieked.

The others shoved him back into the seat. 

“WHY ARE YOU DEFENDING HER?! ALL OF THIS KINDNESS WAS OBVIOUSLY A FRONT!!!” Stretch yelled. “ARE YOU ALL BLIND?! SHE’S HURTING BLUE AND YOU’RE JUST SITTING HERE WATCHING!!!” 

“Shut up for one minute and look at the magic she is using!” Sans shot back. 

“SHE HAS GREEN MAGIC, YOU IDIOT!! SHE’S SAVING HIM!!” Edge snapped. 

Stretch stared at them. “Green... magic? She’s...”

“Yeah. She’s a Kindness soul, with the secondary trait of Determination, I think,” Fell growled. “And you’re trying to stop her from saving Blue! Are _YOU_ so blind?!” 

“I... I thought...” Stretch stammered.

“UH, GUYS?!” Papyrus’ voice was rising in fear. “WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!!” 

The other four skeletons turned around to see me pouring my own HP into Blue’s soul to replace what he had lost. After finding that my normal green magic (that I didn’t know I had, by the way) wasn’t working, I apparently did the only thing I could think of; giving him what little I had to start him on the road to recovery. 

“HOW MUCH HP DOES SHE HAVE?!” Papyrus asked frantically. 

“I... I don’t know. I never checked!” Sans realized in panic. 

“SANS!! THE FIRST RULE OF COMBAT IS KNOW YOUR OPPONENT!!!” Fell scolded him. 

“We never actually ‘encountered’ each other. We never had to truly fight!” Sans protested. 

“NONE OF US DID,” Edge agreed. 

“Frisk only has 20 HP with LV 0, and I can tell you with certainty that Kaliyah probably hasn’t killed anyone,” Sans remembered. 

“So basically, she is going to GET HERSELF KILLED FOR BLUE,” Fell growled. He was trying not to show it, but he was REALLY worried about that prospect. 

“GUYS, WHY DID YOU STOP PAYING ATTENTION?!?!” Papyrus snapped. “WATCH.” 

Somehow, my 20 HP was multiplying thirty fold to support the damage that had been done to Blue. Every single crack, break, fracture, and bruise disappeared as his HP increased. 

“That’s... that’s impossible!” Sans breathed. “Where is she getting all this extra HP?!” 

“Guys, the storm is getting worse!” Fell warned them, pointing to the blizzard outside. The winds had started banging against the metal exterior of the van. 

“She must be feeding the storm,” Stretch realized. “By feeding the storm with her negative emotions, she must be finding power there and using it to heal Blue.” 

“WELL, SHE NEEDS TO STOP BECAUSE THE STORM IS TRYING TO TEAR THE VAN APART!” Edge told them. 

“HOW DO WE STOP IT?!” Papyrus asked in fear. 

“I don’t know!” Sans cried. He was running countless scenarios through his head, all of them ending in disaster. 

“Look!” Fell whispered. “She’s stopping.” 

After filling his HP back to its max, I let go of his soul, and he fell into a dreamless slumber. I knew in my heart that he would wake up in a few minutes, but I wouldn’t be there when he did. Not really anyway. 

My eyes and hands lost their glow, and I passed out on the floor of the car. 

The skeletons stared at me, then at Blue as he stirred. 

He sat up slowly, holding a hand to his head. “WHAT... WHERE ARE WE? WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HAMMER GUY? WHAT HAPPENED TO—” 

Stretch wrapped his arms around Blueberry in a bear hug, interrupting his brother’s thought, glowing orange tears streamed down his face. 

“I... I thought I lost you,” he sobbed. 

Blue blinked in surprise, then hugged him back. “Bro, I’m fine. Why would you lose me? I’m right here,” he said soothingly in a soft tone, giving his younger brother all the time he needed. 

“You were so hurt. You only had 1 HP left!! You were so close to dust...” Stretch whimpered.

“IF THAT IS TRUE, HOW AM I...”

“Our new friend saved you," Stretch explained. "She’s kinda unconscious right now, but she’ll wake up soon. Hopefully. I need to apologize for a lot of things...” 

Sans sighed in relief. “Why don’t I take you guys back to Kaliyah’s house. I doubt she’ll mind.” He tried to climb into the front seat but winced when he put pressure on his left leg. 

“I’LL TAKE THE WHEEL SANS. I THINK I HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN THE HANG OF THIS HUGE VAN,” Edge told him as he climbed into the front seat again. “JUST GIVE ME AN ADDRESS.” 

After giving Edge the address, Sans helped the others to his best ability to get me off the floor and onto the back row of seats. Sans and Fell gave me their coats to lay under as I slumbered with peaceful dreams for the first time in years. 

Sans, who had been studying me thoughtfully, suddenly chuckled to himself. 

“What is it, Sans?” Stretch asked him. He was sitting next to Blue, not leaving his side for a second after that traumatic experience. 

“I just realized something. We were trapped by the seven powerful souls underground for 300 years, teaching all of us monsters to hate them and their kind, and now the most ironic thing happens.” He looked up, a grim smile on his face. 

**“We were just saved by a mage.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaand that's a wrap, folks! That was fun to do! I hope you guys enjoyed it! I wonder what the red flash in Kaliyah's eyes meant before she started using magic... Welp! I guess you'll just have to wait and see!
> 
> In the meantime, feel free to subscribe to stay notified of future updates, leave Kudos if you haven't and you really liked it, bookmark your favorite parts, and don't forget to leave a comment in the comment section below to tell me what you thought of today's update! (I do plan to answer as many comments as I can because I love talking to my readers as it makes me what to write more. ^^D) 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back with another chapter! Sorry I didn't post this earlier. I could have sworn I already did, but oh well! Here it is! Hope it's worth the wait!
> 
> I'm now working with an editor named HeavenSent003, so here's a shout out to her!
> 
> Happy reading!

My dreams were full of life and laughter, seeing my family together for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. Everyone was happy, playing along with each other like old times. It was the scene from my photo, but they were all older, most likely the age they would be if I could see them today. Twenty-six-year-old Charity sat down by me in the grass, watching the others. 

“Hello, Kaliyah. How are you?” she asked me, not looking away from our siblings. 

“I’m good.”

“Good. How is life treating you?” 

“Terrible. The whole town hates me.” 

“The whole town?” 

“Well, maybe not the whole town, but everyone not of our faith. The branch members call me a miracle child.” 

“I see.” 

We sat there for a moment, just breathing in the summer air. Then she spoke again. 

“You're angry with me.” It wasn’t a question. We both knew it was true. 

“Yes.” 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

I turned to her. “Why? Why did you shove me in that closet? You could have chosen any of our siblings, but instead you chose me. Why?”

She sighed. “Because you were the only one that would remember, and then choose to listen.” She looked at me for some time and then stated. “You are the kindest of us all, Kaliyah.”

“But why?” 

“Tell me honestly. Would anyone else in our family grow as strong as you have through this trial? Stay as kind as you?” 

“... No.” 

“Would anyone else have helped those skeletons?” 

I sighed. “No. They would have ignored them. They would have abandoned any hope of finding you years ago.” I realized something. “How?” 

“What?” 

“How did you know they would be there? How did you know they would need my help? How did you know that I would even have the knowledge needed to help them? How did you know any of it?” 

She laughed bitterly. “You assume that I did know. Did it ever cross your mind that I was prompted to tell you that, not knowing what it actually meant?” 

“... No.” 

“I was told by the spirit to shove and lock you in that closet, knowing that you would be safe. That was ALL I knew.”

“Oh. I... I see.” 

“You're alone. I did not foresee that. I had assumed that you would have someone left behind that cared for you. I am sorry about that.” 

“It’s fine. I’m good.” 

“No, you’re not. But fortunately for you, a lost soul will come home very soon, if not even tonight.” 

“Is this another one of your promptings that you don’t know what it means?”

“Nope. Just faith.” She smiled at me. “I believe it’s time for you to go.” 

“But I want to stay here! With you!” 

She gave me an apologetic smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her eyes were full of fear, confusion, and maybe even hate, though I knew it wasn’t toward me. It was towards someone else... but who? “No, you don’t. You don’t understand just yet, but you will. You can never stay here. Go back. Help those who need you. Continue cooking. We both know you love it. Oh, and one more thing: 

“Say hello to our sister for me.”

Before I could ask her what she meant, I was back in my house on the couch, with a skeleton in my face. 

I nearly jumped a foot in the air as I scrambled away from him and climbed up the couch. 

He looked at me strangely, then realized what had happened. “OH! I SCARED YOU, DIDN’T I?” He seemed sad about that.

I nodded mutely, my eyes wide. It was the little blue Papyrus that had been so damaged, I had feared that he might not live, and yet he stood in front of me, not a scratch on him, acting like nothing had happened. That... wasn’t possible! He shouldn’t be able to talk in the state he was in, let alone walk! 

“SORRY ABOUT THAT. THE OTHERS TOLD ME TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOU! I SHOULD PROBABLY TELL THEM YOU’RE UP!” That seemed to cheer him up, shown by the fact that the blue stars in his eye sockets shined brighter. 

“You’re... Blue, right? Blueberry? Stretch’s brother? The one who was hit with a sledgehammer 53 times?” I checked.

“UH, YES. I GUESS I AM.” He seemed uncomfortable about that. “WHY?”

“How are you not unconscious in a hospital room getting surgery for your almost six dozen broken, fractured, and/or shattered bones?” 

“UH... STRETCH! CAN YOU COME HELP ME PLEASE?” 

Stretch walked into the room and leaned against the doorway. “What is it, Blue— Kaliyah! You’re up! The others are going to be thrilled. Blue, why don’t you go tell the others and let me and Kaliyah talk for a little bit?” 

“BUT—”

“No buts. Go find the others.”

Blue grumbled but left the room. Once his brother had left, Stretch walked toward me. 

I sighed and looked down at the floor. “I guess you must hate me.” 

Stretch must have had this confused look on his face as he sat on the couch because he asked, “Why would I hate you?”

“I didn’t save your brother. Somehow in the time I was unconscious, or whenever I fell unconscious, your brother made a full recovery and I did nothing to help. I... I’m sorry, I couldn’t help the two of you, but I promise that I will try my best to make it up to you.” 

“What in the world are you talking about? You saved my brother’s life! You gave me a reason to keep living! I owe you one, and Blueberry owes you his life. I should be the one apologizing. I judged you too harshly when we first met. I thought you were just like those college boys from the beatings but no, you're one of the kindest, most compassionate, and most amazing people I know, monster, human, or otherwise. And I promise you that as long as my soul still beats, I will protect you. I swear on my life and my title as a judge that no one will hurt you no matter what, or they will suffer my wrath.” 

Now it was my turn to stare at him. “What in the world are you talking about? I literally promised that he wouldn’t die that night, however long ago that was, and then blacked out. How, in any sense of the word, is that saving his life?!”

Stretch stared at me. “You don’t remember. You really don’t remember anything. That’s... troubling. Despite that, my promise still stands. I will protect you no matter what.”

“KALIYAH!!”

I turned just in time to have Papyrus wrap his arms around me and pick me up off the floor. 

“YOU’RE ALIVE!! You are alive... right? You’re not dead?” Papyrus checked. 

“Papyrus?” I gasped.

“YES, KALIYAH?” 

“Can’t breathe.” 

“IS BREATHING IMPORTANT TO HUMANS?” 

“Yes, Papyrus. Breathing is important to humans. If I can’t breathe, I will die of suffocation, though I think that I’d die of internal bleeding first since you’re nearly breaking my ribs and they could quite possibly be puncturing my lungs.” I was gasping for breath as I said this. 

“OH! Oops.” He put me down, and I could breathe again. “I’m so sorry, Kaliyah. I did not intend to put you in danger. I am just glad you are all right. That was a lot of magic you used to heal Blue last night.” 

“I hope you don’t mind us staying over for a little while until we find a place to stay. Apparently while we were out (getting beaten to death by college kids), 'SOMEONE' burned our house down,” Sans said apologetically. 

I’m sure the others probably would've started talking too but I put my hands up to silence them. “Hold on. I did WHAT to Blueberry?” 

Blue smiled at me shyly. “You, ah, saved my life... I thank you for that.”

“Again, when did I do this... act of self-righteousness? I have no idea what you guys are talking about.” 

“She doesn’t remember any of it. She says she passed out after promising Blue wouldn’t die,” Stretch told them. 

The other five skeletons stared at me in shock. 

“So you don’t remember your hands and eyes glowing green as you held Blueberry’s soul in your hands?” Fell asked in disbelief. 

I gave them all a strange look. “What? I don’t know about you guys, but humans don’t glow unless they’re REALLY sick. And I mean REALLY sick. Like, they got in contact with radioactive waste. And eventually they stop glowing and their skin melts and then they actually look like you guys. No offense.”

They all shuddered at that thought. 

“I’m not sure which is more disturbing: the fact that you can’t remember saving my big bro’s life or the fact that humans can melt,” Stretch shivered. 

“ARE YOU GOING TO MELT KALIYAH BECAUSE YOU WERE GLOWING IN THE CAR?!?! HOW DO WE STOP IT?!?!” Papyrus asked frantically.

“Calm down. I’m not going to melt. I’m fine. And I don’t remember glowing.” 

“How about someone named Charity?” Sans asked. “Your sister, perhaps?” 

I stared at him in stunned silence. “How do you know that name?” 

“YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT HER BEING RIGHT WHILE YOU WERE HEALING BLUE,” Edge explained. 

“You also said that you promised to help them in their hour of need, whoever they are,” Fell told me as he too sat on the couch. “And if it’s us, well, I’m pretty sure all six of us already owe you our lives. You saved us in our hour of need, not knowing who we were. You didn’t have to help the skeleton who collapsed in front of your house. You chose to, which leads us to the question we’re all wondering.”

“Which is?” I asked.

“ _Why?_ _Why_ did you save us? You could have left Sans and Papyrus out on the street, not knowing them at all and them being a different species than you. You could have left me and my brother in the cold when my brother was aggressive against you. You could've let Blue die, knowing that there was almost no chance he would survive his injuries, but _no_. Instead, you pour your own HP into his soul to save him. You saved us, not knowing anything about us. Heck, me and my brother have killed a lot of monsters. Pretty sure Sans and Stretch have too.” 

I shook my head, a slight smile on my face. “Your point is?” 

“My point?! You’re talking to a bunch of murderers lady!” 

“So?” 

Fell just stared at me, a look of disbelief on his face. “You’re telling me that you would have forced my brother and me into that car knowing we were murderers?” 

“Hey, Sans already told me about you two. If that had bothered me, you wouldn’t be here right now asking about it. You’d be dead because I would have refused to help you and thrown you both out of my car into the Utah winter to find your own help, and I can tell you from experience, that the two of you would not have survived in that snow storm. Your dust would be halfway across the state by now.”

Fell blinked in surprise. “That... is a really good point. Remind me never to get on your bad side. I do NOT want to see what ‘giving someone a bad time’ means to you.” (Now, don’t tell him I told you this, but he MIGHT have been hiding behind Edge when he said that...) 

Edge nodded at me in approval, a look of respect in his eye sockets. “I LIKE THIS HUMAN. SHE’S TOUGH!” 

“DEFINITELY CAN TAKE CARE OF HERSELF,” Blue agreed. “WHY DOES SHE NEED US AGAIN?”

“EVERYONE NEEDS THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND THE MAGNIFICENT BLUEBERRY!” Papyrus grinned. 

“DON’T FORGET THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE EDGE!” Edge said, puffing out his chest. 

The other three skeletons looked at each other with a knowing smile, as if to say, ' _Our bros are the coolest.'_

“She didn’t really answer the question,” Stretch realized. “Why did you save us?”

“Tell me Stretch. If I had left the six of you out there, how much better would I be than those who hurt you in the first place?” 

He said nothing. None of them did.

“... You wouldn’t be,” Sans admitted.

“Exactly. No, I’d probably be worse than them because I have the ability to help you, but I would have done nothing. In fact, the only reason I did was because exactly ten years ago yesterday my older sister told me in this very house to remember the broken bones before she and my family disappeared, and then a skeleton with a broken arm collapses on the street outside my front window. I don’t really believe in fate and all that jazz, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but that can’t be a coincidence,” I said with my hands on my hips.

“When you sum it all up like that... that’s a lot to take in,” Stretch finally admitted. 

Blue just sat there, taking that in. “YEP. ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU FACTOR IN THE PART THAT A FEW OF US ALMOST DIED LAST NIGHT.”

Fell looked at me. “Am I allowed to go beat those guys up for hurting us or is that against the law here?” 

“Actually, if you guys go to the police about this, those boys could get arrested. Jailed, even.” 

“Yeah, right,” Stretch snapped. “Like they’ll believe us over their own kind. Face it, Kaliyah; we’re pretty much toast. Humans, current company excepted, just hate people who are different.”

“Yeah…... That’s pretty much a summary of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. Now, back to the subject at hand: I used magic to heal Blueberry?! Why do I have no recollection of this?” 

“Yeah that is odd,” Sans admitted. “I mean, magic isn’t an exact science, but you should be able to at least remember it.” 

“Do you have, like, a degree in magic or something, _Dr. Sans_?” I joked. 

He shrugged. “Yeah, actually. Well, it’s really a doctorate in quantum physics and a few other degrees, but that doesn’t really matter right now.” 

“Agreed, but we are having a chat later about how you have a doctorate in anything if you’re as lazy as you seem to be.” 

“YOU REALLY DON’T REMEMBER HEALING ME AT ALL?” Blueberry asked.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry Blue. I don’t.” 

He looked down, the blue stars in his eye sockets dim, then his face brightened as he got an idea. “THEN WE’LL JUST TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED. THAT WAY YOU’LL KNOW WHAT WE’RE THANKING YOU FOR!” He smiled triumphantly, the blue stars in his eye sockets shining again. “MWEH HEH HEH HEH!!!”

“THAT’S A GREAT IDEA, BLUE! AFTER ALL, WE TOLD YOU WHAT SHE DID FOR YOU! WE CAN DO THE SAME FOR KALIYAH!!! NYEH HEH HEH!!” Papyrus grinned. 

I looked between the two skeletons. They really were so alike. Almost as if... no. That’s impossible. They couldn’t be the same person, could they? Nah.

“I’ll get the snacks, and then story time will begin!”

_One story later..._

I sat there, contemplating what they had told me about myself. “Wow. I can set myself on fire? That’s... actually a real safety hazard. I need to work on that.” 

“There you go again!” Fell exclaimed. 

“What do you mean by that?” 

“We just told you that you can use magic, and your first thought is that it’s a safety hazard?! I mean, what the heck?!”

I shrugged. “I’m talking to six living skeletons in the living room of a house that got blown up by a lady in a black cloak with glowing yellow eyes ten years ago. Not a lot phases me.” Then I realized what I had just said. The lady... she had magic too. Was... was I really cursed? Was the town right to be afraid of me? Was I a demon in disguise?!

Next thing I knew, I was being shaken by Blueberry. 

“HUMAN!! HUMAN, WAKE UP—OH! YOU’RE UP! I DID IT! MWEH HEH HEH HEH!!!” He puffed out his chest and posed heroically. 

Stretch gave me an apologetic smile. “We tried to explain to him that you said this was normal for you, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“SHE WAS SHAKING, PAP- I MEAN, STRETCH! THAT’S NOT NORMAL!!”

“Sorry. I had a flashback about when the lady attacked the house. How long was I out?” 

“Just ten minutes,” Stretch assured me. 

“That’s good. Usually when I have flashbacks I can lose a good three hours of the day before I can snap myself out of it.” 

“THREE HOURS?!” Fell exclaimed as he walked into the room. “YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT IF WE HADN’T WOKEN YOU UP IN THE VAN, YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN LIKE THAT FOR THREE HOURS?!” 

“Yep. Like I said, this is normal. It happens whenever I think of her... She’s terrifying.” 

“Do you think you could tell the story?” Stretch asked.

“Uh... maybe? I don’t know. It’s... traumatizing.” 

“WE PROMISE TO WAKE YOU UP IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER FLASHBACK!!” Blue told me. 

“Oh, all right. But don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” 

Stretch smiled. “Consider us warned.”

The others came in soon after, and I started the story:

“December 21, 2009: It was my birthday, and I was ecstatic.”

“... It’s been ten years since he promised me that, and I’m still waiting for him to do good on his word,” I finished. 

The reactions to my tale were... _mixed_.

Papyrus and Blueberry were hugging each other in fear while Stretch and Sans stared at me in shock and horror. Fell and Edge seemed unfazed, but I knew from their reactions and body language that the story unnerved them too, especially the part about Calypso...

“... Wow. You actually went through all that?” Sans finally asked. 

“Yeah.”

“No wonder you have PTSD and flashbacks. That’s terrible!”

“Pretty much. Funny thing, actually. My father had disappeared two years before when his car was forced off the road and it tumbled down a forested hill. They never found a body, just a mangled, bloodstained car... Everyone thought he was dead, but after what happened with my family...”

“Wow. Somebody REALLY hates your family. I’m surprised you escaped without a scratch after all these years!” Fell said. 

“YOU’VE BEEN ALONE THIS WHOLE TIME?” Papyrus asked me, a troubled look on his face as he considered that concept. 

I shook my head. “No, not exactly. I have my Aunt Amy, but she left town looking for my family. Other than that, I don’t really have anyone. The people in my church are nice, but most of them are afraid of me too. The rumors of my ‘curse’ got to everyone in this town. Nothing I do seems to change their view of me.” 

Stretch scowled. “Or us. They act like we murdered their favorite family member whenever we’re around. It’s really cruel when you think about it.”

I shrugged. “Human beings are like that. They’re defensive. They hate change. That is quite clear as you look throughout human history.”

Sans cleared his... throat? Whatever they have for throats. “We, ah, need to ask you something. It’s okay if you say no...”

“What is it?” 

“Well, while we were out last night, somebody *cough cough* college kids *cough cough* burned down our house...”

I smiled, knowing what he was implying. “You guys need a place to stay. You can totally crash here if you’d like. This house was made for ten people, not one.”

“Really? You’re okay with six skeletons living in your house?”

“Absolutely. I saved you didn’t I? I was ready to force you guys to stay in the house so that I could keep an eye on your recovery.”

“Great. I’ll go call Tori and tell her the good news.” He stood up to leave... and then crashed to the floor, clutching his left tibia. “OOOW!!”

It was broken in two. What had looked to be originally a fracture had broken in half from the pressure Sans had been putting on it to support his weight. 

I picked him up and carried him into one of the extra bedrooms, Percy’s old room, if I remebered correctly, and dumped him on the bed. 

“You... you... you IDIOT!!! YOU’VE BEEN HIDING THIS FROM ME?!?!” I shrieked.

“I didn’t want to worry you or Papyrus—” he protested.

“WORRY US?! SANS, WHAT USED TO BE A SIMPLE FRACTURE IS NOW BROKEN!! I’M SURPRISED IT DIDN’T SHATTER!!!! NOW YOU ARE GOING TO LAY ON THIS BED AND NOT GET UP UNTIL I SAY SO. DO YOU HEAR ME?!?!?!” I roared. 

“He’s getting it now...” Stretch whispered from the doorway. 

I spun around. “Are there any OTHER, ‘I’M GONNA BE AN IDIOT AND NOT TELL THE DOCTOR I’M HURT AND MAKE IT WORSE’, INJURIES I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?!?!”

No one said anything. 

“Everyone find a room. I am going to examine you all individually so that THIS,” I gestured to Sans, “doesn’t happen again. Have I made myself clear?” 

They all nodded. 

“Good. Now go find a bedroom to stay in.” I turned to Sans, who was looking at me with a frightened expression. 

“You look like you’re about to murder me,” he said. 

“After the stunt you pulled, I just might. Now hold still while I set this back into place.” 

I touched the bone, and the area around the break shattered into different pieces that floated around it, making Sans howl in pain. 

“I’m sorry, but this is what happens when you don’t care for yourself properly,” I snapped as I set to reassembling his shattered tibia so that I could splint and bandage it. 

Half an hour later, Sans was laying on the bed whimpering from the pain as I finished bandaging the break. 

“Maybe that will teach you to not hide your injuries. Now take off your coat so that I can see your arms.” 

He grumbled about it but he did as I asked and I bandaged the few fractures he had there. His rib cage was in pretty decent shape, with only one fractured rib that I took care of easily. (His soul had a huge crack down the middle, just like Fell. Was this normal?) When he realized I was done, he relaxed and sunk into the pillows on the bed. 

“Now you are to STAY HERE and rest so that you can heal. Doctor’s orders.” 

“So I just gotta sit here and do nothing?” He smiled weakly at that prospect.

“Yep.”

“Be lazy. Got it. Anything else?” 

“Please don’t hide stuff like that again? I worry about you guys.” 

“Duly noted. Now go take care of the others. I’ll be fine here by myself.”

“Okay, but if I come back and find you aren’t here—”

“Believe me, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. Am I allowed to call people?”

“Sure. Just don’t get up.”

“Great. I can do that.”

I left and went into the next room, where Stretch was lying on the bed. 

“All right. Let’s see your injuries.” 

Sixty-two fractures, thirteen broken bones, and three shattered ones later, Stretch wasn’t in much better shape than Sans. (I noticed that he too had a cracked soul. What was going on here?)

“How many times were you hit with that sledgehammer?”

“Four. No, five. I can’t remember. I just know that it hurt. A lot.”

“I can see that. Do you feel better now?” 

“Yeah, actually. Thanks, Kaliyah. You really are an amazing person.”

“Anytime, Stretch. I’ll go check on the others now, but you are going to stay in bed, do you hear me?”

“Yep. Sit here, be lazy, and do nothing. I can totally do that.” 

“Good. If you move off the bed—”

“I am in no condition to go anywhere, Kaliyah. Don’t worry about me. I’m probably just going to sleep.”

“That is a great idea. You sleep and stay here.” 

He smiled, and I left. 

The next patient was Edge. 

“You ready for this?” I asked with a smile. 

“THE DAY THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE EDGE SHIES FROM PAIN IS THE DAY HE QUITS THE ROYAL GUARD!!!” Edge proclaimed. 

“All right. Let’s do this.” 

This one was a doozy. Seventy-three fractures, ten broken bones, and six shattered ribs later, Edge was squeezing my shoulder from the pain as I bandaged the broken humerus in his left arm. 

“WHY... Why does this hurt so much?” he asked me. His eye lights had gone from red to white, making him look less like a terrifying warlord and more like a wounded, terrified kid. 

“I’m sorry Edge, but this is what happens when you get hit with a metal baseball bat,” I told him. I finished bandaging the break and looked up. “How does it feel now?” 

He winced momentarily as he moved it, but then smiled. “ACTUALLY IT FEELS PRETTY GOOD. THANKS KALIYAH.”

“Anytime Edge. Now, I know you and Papyrus hate being lazy, but resting and healing isn’t being lazy, so I want you to just lay here and heal. Sleep if you want to. It’ll probably make you feel better.” 

“... OKAY. I’LL LAY HERE AND BE LAZY IF YOU WANT ME TO KALIYAH, BUT ONLY BECAUSE **_YOU_ ** ASKED, NOT BECAUSE I’M TIRED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.” 

“Of course not. I won’t say a word.” I winked at him and he smiled. 

“JUST... Don’t tell Fell that I acted like this. I have a reputation to uphold, after all.” 

I flashed him a thumbs up. “Don’t worry. I gotcha covered.”

I stood up and left the room before realizing that Edge didn’t have a crack in its soul. I don’t get it.

Next up was Papyrus. He just had a few fractures that I hadn’t taken care of the night before. Fell was the same, though he also had a fractured leg and arm. After I was finished treating them, I forced them BOTH into bed. 

Papyrus was only okay with it because I promised him that he could have a break in an hour if he stayed in bed. I noticed that he didn’t have the crack either, and from what I saw of Blue’s soul, he didn’t either.

Fell was like: “I actually get to sleep? Yes! Uh, don’t tell Edge I’m being lazy, okay?” His eye lights had become white like his brother’s, showing a sense of vulnerability about him. He was hurt. Wounded. Afraid.

“I won’t.” Then I remembered something. “Can I ask you something? It’s kinda personal, so if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay.” 

“Fire away, kid.”

“Why do some of you have cracks in your souls, and some of you don’t? Don’t deny it. I saw the souls as I was treating you guys. What is going on?” 

Fell looked away. “Okay, so don’t tell the others I told you this, but... we’ve been living the same few days over and over again for most of our lives. Papyrus, Blue, and Edge, along with all of our friends except one, maybe two, can’t remember it. But me, Sans, and Stretch—we do. We’ve seen this one girl go through the Underground over and over again. 

“At first, she was kind to everyone, like you are to us, but eventually, she got bored of being nice. She reset one time, and that nice little girl became a demon. She started killing everyone. We’ve watched our little brothers (or older, in Stretch’s case) die at that girl’s hands over, and over, and over, and over again. We'd realized... that we can’t save them. Their fate is sealed the second that she chooses genocide over pacifist. We’ve... kinda given up, and I guess it affected our souls. We used to have 20 HP as our max, but when our souls cracked... it lowered our max to 1 HP. I don’t think our brothers know it, because they don’t remember all of the different timelines we’ve had to go through. 

“Thankfully, this last reset, the kid changed her mind, or something. She stopped trying to kill everyone and did a pacifist route again. She promised us no more resets, and then we came to the surface, and here we are.”

I blinked in surprise. That was not what I expected at all! “Wow. That’s... mortifying. All three of you go through this?”

“Yep.”

“How do you know that they don’t remember the resets?” 

“Well, they’ve never told us that they do, so... I guess we don’t. They could have been hiding that from us all these years. We just don’t know.”

“What if I asked one of them? Maybe Blueberry?”

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” 

“It’s worth a shot.”

He shrugged, then winced as it moved his broken ribs. “If you want to, be my guest. Just don’t tell the others I told you, okay? Stretch would probably be fine with it since you saved Blue’s life, but I don’t know what Sans thinks about you. It’s probably just safer to not tell them right now, okay?”

“Okay. I can do that.” I got up to leave, then stopped when Fell called my name. 

“Kaliyah?”

“Yes, Fell?”

“Thanks for helping us. I saw how Edge acted while you helped him. He hasn’t acted like that in a LONG time, so... thanks.”

I smiled. “Anytime. I’m glad I was able to help you all. I haven’t had a good time like this in a long time. Thank you for that.” 

He blinked in surprise, and I left the room, but as I walked down the hallway toward the living room I swear I heard him say something else. 

“You’re welcome, Kaliyah. I promise you will find your family again. And I... I will help you find them, whatever the cost.”

I smiled. “Thank you,” I whispered, then walked on into the living room. 

Blueberry was the only one I hadn’t examined, which was because, well, I had already healed him. He was sitting on the couch, a huge grin on his face. He noticed me come in. 

“HELLO, KALIYAH! HOW ARE YOU?” he asked me. 

“Pretty good,” I replied as I sat down on the couch next to him. “Do you... want to help me cook something for the others?” I asked him, remembering how Charity had told me to continue my love of cooking, so I thought this would be a good way to start up again. 

The stars in his eyes brightened. “THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!!”

I smiled at his enthusiasm. “All right. Shall we make pancakes?” 

“NO! TACOS!!!” He grinned. He must REALLY like tacos. 

“Okay then. We’ll make tacos.” 

I led him into the kitchen and began looking for the ingredients to make tacos. 

“Shall we do beef or chicken?” I asked him while taking stuff out of the fridge and placing it on the counter. “I’m personally a beef taco person myself, but I could do with a chicken taco.”

Blueberry didn’t say anything as he surveyed the things on the counter. Finally he spoke. “Where’s the glitter?” 

I nearly choked on my laughter. “The what?” 

“The glitter. Everyone knows that you need glitter to make tacos. Glitter and A FIRE TO MATCH YOUR PASSION FOR COOKING!!!!!” 

“May I be so bold as to ask you who taught you to cook?”

“ALPHYS DID! SHE’S THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD!! SHE’S BEEN TRAINING ME FOR WHEN I CAN BE A MEMBER TOO! MWEH HEH HEH HEH!!” 

“So, just to clarify, this Alphys has probably never had a cooking class in her life?” 

“NOPE! BUT ALPHYS SAYS AS LONG AS YOU COOK WITH PASSION IT DOESN’T MATTER!!!” The smile on his face was infectious. 

“Do the others eat your tacos?” 

“YEP!! THEY LOVE THEM!! THEY SAID SO!!!”

It now dawned on me, that this guy was perhaps even sweeter than Papyrus. And quite possibly deadlier without even knowing it. 

“Do you mind if I go get a second opinion? I want to know how amazing your tacos are, so I should probably ask some others too. Don’t start cooking until I get back.” 

“OKAY! I’LL GO LOOK FOR THE GLITTER!!”

I stepped into the hallway and walked into Stretch’s room. He was playing on his phone. 

He looked up. “Hey, Kaliyah.”

“Hey, Stretch. Can I ask you something about Blue?” 

“Ask away. What is it?”

“His, ah, _tacos_. Have you guys... actually eaten them?” 

“Nah. Sans, Fell, and I just teleport them when Blue isn’t looking. Blue on the other hand...” 

“Is poisoning himself. Gotcha. Do you mind if I teach him how to cook them properly? Without the glitter?” 

“That would be amazing.”

“Great. I’ll go do that.” 

I walked back into the kitchen to find Blue trying to find a substitute for glitter. 

“WHERE IS IT?! DO HUMANS NOT KNOW HOW TO COOK?!” he muttered. 

“Hey, Blue. What are you doing?” I asked, leaning against the doorway. 

“TRYING TO MAKE TACOS.” 

“You realize that glitter is poisonous... right? It’s inedible?” 

“... What?” Blue looked at me in alarm. 

“I’m sorry, Blue. Glitter is poisonous to... just about every living thing, including humans.” 

“Oh. I... I see.” The stars in his eyes dimmed as he looked down and shuffled his feet. 

I squatted down to his height and lifted up his head so that I could look him in the eyes. “Why don’t I show you how humans do it, and we can compare. We’ll see which recipe you like better after. I do have a question for you: have you ever actually eaten one of your tacos?” 

“Uh... no, actually. I just make them for the others. I don’t actually eat that often... but please don’t tell Stretch. He worries about me as much as it is.”

“I won’t. Promise.” 

So little positive Blue was anorexic? Who knew! 

“Now, are you ready to try cooking beef tacos?” 

He smiled, his tone quieter and his eyes... full of sorrow. He was... depressed?! I would have to find out about this! “Yep. Let’s do this.”

* * *

About half an hour into the lesson/cooking session, I popped the big question:

“So... do you know anything about resets?” I asked nonchalantly. 

He froze, nearly dropping the taco seasoning. 

A sheepish grin spread across his face. “H-how do you kn-n-now about that?”

“So you do know. Hm. Seems that he was wrong about you. I’ll have to ask Edge and Papyrus next.” 

“DON’T!! They... they don’t want to remember. They’ve... blocked it from their memories. I... I can’t. I... I have to remember, so that I can help other people. If that means getting killed over and over again, so be it. I can still help people, no matter what.”

“Why don’t you block it? Wouldn’t it be easier?” 

“Well, I have some... _friends_ that need my help on missions. You could say they’re super spies that fight monster terrorists. If I forgot... then how would I help them?” 

“You wouldn’t.” I sighed. “I know you’re depressed, Blue. You don’t have to hide it.” 

His shoulders slumped as he sighed in relief. “Is it really that obvious?” 

I nodded. “Do you... want to talk about it?” 

He hesitated, then nodded. 

I took the taco meat off the burner and turned off the stove. “Come on. The meat is finished, and we have to wait for the others to wake up before we can eat anyway.” 

“Okay...” 

He watched me put the meat in a container, make two cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows, grab two blankets, and then followed me into the living room to sit on the couch in front of the electric fireplace. I handed him a mug of cocoa and wrapped him in a blanket. 

“Now, let’s talk. Why are _you_ afraid of these... ‘resets’ as you guys call them?”

He sipped his hot cocoa, thinking for a moment before he spoke. “Well, there’s this kid who can seemingly control time itself using pure DETERMINATION, so all they have to do is want to reset, and the story will. It doesn’t reset the entire timeline, so certain people can remember the resets, but it usually takes us back a few days, at least to the morning that the kid falls into the Underground. The kid Stretch and I know is called Chara, but the other guys have a kid named Frisk, but that’s besides the point. The human has a special kind of soul, a Determination soul, that allows them to go back and fix their mistakes, like they never happened, but some monsters, like us, can remember the past resets. We remember all the past run throughs the human has done.” Blue noticed the question in my eyes and said, “Don’t ask me why, I don’t know. I don’t think any of us do. We just can. It’s more of a curse than a blessing, to be honest. Well, most runs are full of the human being kind to monsters, what we call a Pacifist Run, but there are a few where the kid... changed. They became violent, hateful, murderous. Instead of going through the Underground trying to help everyone, they began killing everyone they met. They went out of their way to eradicate every monster in the Underground. This is what we call a Genocide Run. Every time, I try to reason with them, get them to turn around and take the better path, to reset again, but...” 

He trailed off and just sat there, wrapped in the blanket with his mug in his hands, staring into the fire as if it was a portal to another time. The stars in his eyes were so dim, his eye sockets were almost pitch black. I could tell I had hit the source of his depression. Whatever had happened to him during these ‘Genocide Runs’ had really taken a number on him. 

I decided to change the subject. Blue didn’t have to tell me, and I didn’t need to know. If he didn’t want to talk about it, I wouldn’t press. He would most likely tell me in time, when he was ready. 

“You know, at first I thought you were more like Papyrus, but on second thought, you act a lot like Sans. Especially when you think that Stretch isn’t listening. It’s like you’re trying to hide yourself. Why?” 

Blue sighed. Looks like I had hit another touchy subject. Oops. “Well, I guess that kinda started a long time ago, before Chara fell into the Underground, before she began resetting. I did use to act like Sans. I was just as lazy and joking and silly as he is now, and Stretch used to act a lot like Papyrus. He was a very energetic kid, with a penchant for mischief. He loved playing with his friends Undyne and Alphys. Those three were almost inseparable! And he wanted nothing more than to join the Royal Guard. It was actually very silly.” He looked at me with a small smile. “You might find this hard to believe, but I’m actually the older one of the two of us. For some reason, the older brother is always shorter. It’s a rule of thumb with us skeletons.” 

“Really? That’s so weird, but cool! I have siblings too. Had, I should say. They’re all gone now. They disappeared.” I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs from my head. “You said that you two used to act like that. What happened?” 

He sighed, then adopted a look of confusion. “I... don’t actually know. Stretch came home one day after spending it with Undyne and Alphys in a bit of a funk. I asked him what was wrong but he didn’t say anything. He just went upstairs to his room and locked the door. He never said a word. It was almost as if he was in some sort of trance. When he came back down, he was... different. 

“A while back I had gotten him an orange sweatshirt (orange always was his color scheme), beige cargo shorts, and orange sneakers as a joke, knowing he’d never wear them, but while he was in his room he had for some reason changed into them! He took the battle body costume we had made together years before and shoved it in the trash can. I jumped up in alarm, asking what was the matter with him, but when he looked at me, his eye sockets were glowing orange. I backed away from him, and he turned, going back up to his room. I even saw a flash of a cigarette in his pocket. It scared me half to death!”

“I can imagine. If one of my siblings suddenly acted differently, I would be worried,” I agreed, sipping my hot cocoa.

“Exactly. After I had gathered up the courage to confront him, I went up to his room and knocked on the door, asking him what was wrong. I could smell the odor of cigarette smoke from outside the door. He answered by telling me that he was fine and that I should just go hang out with Alphys and Napstabot like I always did. 

“‘Alphys?’ I asked, ‘Isn’t she your friend? Why would I go hang out with her? And who is Napstabot?’

“Stretch opened the door and gave me a strange look. I nearly jumped a foot in the air to see the cigar in his mouth. 

“‘What do you mean, ‘my friend’?’ he asked me. ‘You’re the one who is training with her to become a part of the Royal Guard. And how do you not remember who Napstabot is?! You’re obsessed with him and his shows. Are you okay, Blue...’ He looked me up and down for what seemed to be the first time since he got home. ‘WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU WEARING?!?!’

“I was of course wearing my blue parka, basketball shorts, and fluffy pink slippers like I normally did at home. ‘What do you mean, ‘what am I wearing?’ I always wear this. You of all people should know that.’ I was confused. What was going on?

“‘I got you that a while back but you said you’d never be caught dead in it. Are you sure you’re okay?’ He tried to feel my forehead, but I slapped his hand away. 

“‘Of course I’m okay! What’s wrong with you?! You’re acting like, well, me!!’

“‘Blue, maybe you should go see Doctor Undyne. I’m sure she could—‘

“‘DOCTOR UNDYNE?!?!’ I exclaimed. That was nothing like the Undyne I knew. What was going on? Was this Stretch’s idea of a prank? If so, it wasn’t funny. ‘WHAT IN THE FLIPPIN’ WORLD ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, STRETCH?! UNDYNE WANTS TO BE A FLIPPIN’ WARRIOR, NOT A DOCTOR!!’

“‘Blue, I think you should lie down—‘

“‘NO! I WILL NOT LIE DOWN UNTIL YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON!!! YOU’RE SMOKING!! WHY IN THE WORLD ARE YOU SMOKING, STRETCH?!?!’

“He didn’t answer, instead dragging me to my room and locking the door, saying that he would let me out when I was acting like myself again. I was so confused! _Doctor Undyne? Napstabot? Alphys training me to be on the Royal Guard? Stretch SMOKING?!_ I opened my closet to find outfits similar to Stretch’s old one, but tailored to fit me and in my blue and grey color scheme. I put one on, hiding away my parka, shorts, and slippers, hoping that if I acted like Stretch thought I was supposed to, maybe I could get to the bottom of all this.

“Stretch let me out of my room the next morning and I walked outside to find my entire world upside down! Asgore had abandoned his throne and Toriel had taken control of the Underground. Grillby’s tavern had become Muffet’s tavern. Alphys was roaming the streets in a set of black armor. When I turned on the TV expecting to see Mettaton, I instead saw a blue robot who called himself Napstabot. From what Stretch had said the night before, I was supposedly obsessed with him. I found Stretch asleep in my sentry station when I was going to work, but I didn’t dare disturb him for fear of getting locked in my room again. My 'shortcuts' had stopped working, and my Gaster Blasters had become so hard to summon that I almost passed out trying to summon one. My world had completely reversed, and I was the only one who remembered the way it was supposed to be. 

“As much as I tried to keep my normal personality, I began to act more and more like Stretch used to. I woke up one morning with a craving for tacos, so (knowing that in the state Stretch was in he would never cook anything but instead go to Grillby’s—no, Muffet’s. That one took me a while to remember right) I went downstairs and tried to make some myself. I was... less than successful, unless you count nearly burning the house down a success in cooking. Another morning I woke up feeling like I couldn’t take Stretch’s joking, so all that day I yelled at him for every pun he made, even though I had used to make them too. Still another morning waking up made me feel like I should be full of myself for some reason, and I suddenly had a strong desire to join the Royal Guard, despite knowing what they did to the humans who fell into the Underground. (I had been the head judge before the world flipped. It was my job to know.) And it was all SO WEIRD. That was all Stretch’s thing. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD I WANT TO DO ANY OF THAT? I was supposed to go to Grillby’s and drink ketchup from a bottle and make puns constantly and sleep through sentry duty and pull multiple jobs so that ends would meet, not make puzzles or tacos or train with Alphys or binge watch Nabstabot’s shows or... any of that! I missed my old life. I still do...” 

I sat there, contemplating the whole thing. “Wow. That’s... crazy. So you remember what happened before because...” 

“I DON’T KNOW!! The only thing different about me than the other monsters was that I was a judge. That’s it. And before you say that that’s the reason, I went to the other judges asking about it, and they had no idea what I was talking about. In fact, they seemed rather alarmed that I knew they were judges at all! It’s... weird. I know that Stretch became the new head judge because I overheard him talking about it. It was like someone had reset our entire timeline and switched everyone, and I was the only one who remembered!” 

“That would explain a lot.” 

“I know, right?! I mean—wait. You... believe me? You don’t think I’m crazy?” His face was so full of hope when he realized that I believed him.

I shrugged. “I’m sitting on my living room couch drinking hot cocoa with a skeleton that’s supposed to be dead, talking to him about why he’s depressed. As I said before, not much surprises me these days.” 

“Why am I supposed to be dead?”

“Because you were hit with a sledgehammer 53 times! Duh!”

“Oh! Right.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes. 

“So... what do we do now?” Blueberry asked tentatively. I guessed that my expression at that particular moment wasn’t the friendliest. 

“I don’t know. Why don’t we—”

Suddenly, everything went black. I could faintly hear my mug hit the floor, and Blueberry yelling my name, but then it was gone. 

_Another flashback?_ I thought. _Really? Now? Well, OKAY! I’ll just postpone helping Blueberry until after my mind is done torturing me with ten-year-old memories! This is great. Just great._

“Oh, but this isn’t a flashback,” said someone, a woman, from within the darkness. “This is me trying to speak to you. After all, I only just found you after all these years of searching. It’s time we finally talk.”

I froze. I knew that voice. That voice haunted my nightmares. That was the voice that outlined the flashbacks. That voice was ** _Calypso herself._**

I spun around, looking for her. I found that I had my frying pan in my hand and gripped it tight. It had a few swings with Calypso’s name on it. “You,” I snarled. (We weren’t exactly besties, as you well know.)

“Yes. Me.” All I could see of her was a glowing yellow grin paired with two matching eyes as if she was made of smoke. “Greetings, Kaliyah. It’s... been a while, hasn’t it?”

“That’s one way to put it,” I growled, swinging my frying pan at the glowing grin, but somehow missing it. When I looked down at my frying pan, I yelped. “What in the—” It was glowing green!

“So it is you. I wasn’t sure. After all, you were shielded for the last ten years by your sister’s trickery. Oh, did she pay for that. I was only able to find you after that particularly large outburst of magic last night. Healing the skeleton, I do believe.” 

Great! Not only was my magic weird and unpredictable since I couldn’t seem to remember doing it, but it was also a homing beacon of death. Thanks a lot, Charity! 

“Quiet, aren’t you, my little flower. No matter. I don’t need you to talk. I just need you to listen.” 

“I will not listen to ANYTHING you have to say!” I roared. 

“Too bad,” she crooned in her sickly-sweet voice. “I thought you might want to at least hear the warning I bring.” 

“... Warning? What warning?” 

“You shouldn’t have come back. By saving those skeletons’ lives, you have doomed yourself. You are now a part of the game.” 

“What game? What are you talking about?” 

“The next time the human resets, everything is going to change. But this time, only you will remember it. Only you will know why. I thought the first time was enough of a warning to stay out of this, but you refuse to stay out of other people’s business, don’t you?” 

“What do you mean the first time? What are you talking about?! You’re not making any sense!!” 

“Do you really think you have any control over your actions? Do you really think that you can do as you please? You are a puppet to the master now, all because you couldn’t resist helping them. Everything you do has been planned out. Do you think it was a coincidence that I attacked you and your family on your eleventh birthday? Do you really think that it was chance that your father disappeared right after your mother was declared pregnant with her eighth child? Do you really think it was dumb luck that Sans and Papyrus were attacked yesterday, that they collapsed on your doorstep on your twenty-first birthday, exactly ten years after your family disappeared? Are you really so naive?! No, I planned this, this will be my greatest masterpiece!” 

I said nothing. When you put it all together like that, it really did sound planned. But why would anyone do this? Had my family offended her somehow? What was going on?

“You... planned this? But why?” I asked. 

“Oh... It's not often a mage family has one of each soul... I couldn't resist!” she laughed. "Each soul a pinnacle of magic, able to build on the others and create spells no one has ever seen! Who am I to pass up the potential of such wonders?"

“What? But... we're just the Lionhearts! We're just a normal family! What are you talking about?!” I asked, interrupting her crazy-talk. She was starting to get on my nerves.

She laughed. “How hilarious... You can't remember any of it. What a shame,” she grinned. “Oh well, it doesn't really matter. I control the game now, and you will be my ace. I have a few others who I have instilled with the power over the story, but the magic has a catch: there will always be those who remember the past rewrites, the old heartbreaks, the forgotten hatreds, the unfinished words, the lost happily-ever-afters. But they also remember the kindness of the past, the hope given to them, and the friendships that were forged in stone. Take advantage of this, and you will go far... Ignore it, and you will fall with them.” 

“... What?” 

“You have already shown your power over the story when you saved the skeleton boy. Admit it: he was already dead. He was turning to dust in your arms. He shouldn’t have survived... right?” 

I sighed. “I can’t deny it.” 

“I advise you seek out those with the power to change, to save, and to remember. They will be your closest allies in this little game. Until then... Farewell, Kaliyah Lionheart. Your sister will come home soon.” 

“What do you—” But she was already gone. 

And I was left in the darkness,

**_Alone with my thoughts._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 24.1 pages! I’m on a roll! 
> 
> So yeah. Blueberry is depressed. And a glitch. I probably should have mentioned that, but NEVER FEAR!! He WILL explain it in his recording (once I post it, that is) that will be found in the next update. I have it ready, but you're going to have to wait until next week. This is just getting started! 
> 
> Also, I have a question prompt: I need some help with the Christmas chapter for this, as the story is around that season anyway, so my question is _What would you get the skeletons for Christmas?_ Keep in mind their personalities, including Blue's odd one. I can't wait to see what you say!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Blueberry Entry I - Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A recording of Blue's reaction to his talk with Kaliyah, and a few other things...

**December 22, 2019**

Hi there. It’s Blueberry Sans. Better known as Swap or Blue, but that’s not important. Classic (Undertale Sans) said it would be a good idea for all of us to record our experiences with Kaliyah and feelings about her so that we can better understand her and her magic, but I think it’s mostly so that he can figure out if she’s a threat or not. Stretch actually called him out on that and nearly started a fight between him, Edge, Fell, and Sans (Sans was the only one NOT in favor of Kaliyah) until Vanilla (Undertale Papyrus) and I broke it up. You know, Vanilla is a really good name for UP since he’s so sweet. Waaaaaaaaaaait. Is THAT why you guys call me Blueberry? Because I’m sweet and innocent? I can’t believe I didn’t see that before! I am such an idiot!

You guys probably wondering about the story in the living room. In all honesty, I didn’t remember it until I woke up last night. Whatever she did to me that ‘saved my life’ according to Stretch’s account, apparently restored the lost parts of my memory! I remember the resets that I didn’t before, which is about 700 more than the good 400 that I already did. I may not be a judge anymore, but I still have a few of the powers. Every once in a while I can summon a Gaster Blaster. Those are the resets I can remember. If I could summon a Gaster Blaster, I would remember the entire run, whether Genocide or Pacifist. But after the first few months of being, well, me, (not Classic me, but Blueberry me) I forgot being Classic at all. I forgot my little Vanilla Papyrus. I could only remember the Stretch Papyrus. I could barely remember Ink and Dream, as they visited me periodically, and Error was a bit of a blur (my glitch terrified me the first time I saw it after forgetting) but he came to see me sometimes too. The AU’s? I maybe remembered the more recent missions with the rest of the Star Sanses (why do I feel like I’m forgetting someone—we only have three members... right?) but everything else was gone. I still can’t remember everything. 

But then Kaliyah healed me, and I remembered the other AU’s, Nightmare, being a Classic, that entire story in the living room, and a lady made of black smoke. 

**_Black smoke..._ **

I have to admit, I was scared when Kaliyah suddenly stopped talking and dropped her mug of... whatever that stuff is (I don’t know what it is, but it tastes AMAZING. Uh, voices, remind me to ask for the recipe. Don’t tell Stretch, but even as a Classic, I loved cooking. And I mean LOVED cooking. I would cook when he wasn’t looking, not for anyone else of course, and it was pretty terrible, but that’s besides the point. That was one of the best things about becoming Blueberry Swap. I can cook and nobody will look at me like I’m crazy! YAY ME!!), enough to try snapping her out of her trance, and I was definitely startled by the glowing green eyes, though I was less worried about those as I had learned from the story of last night’s events that it was an indication of magic use. But the second I saw the black smoke grow around her, I was ready to bolt. I mean, WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT?! I was contemplating getting Stretch (unaware of the fact that no one else was allowed to get out of bed) when Kaliyah finally spoke. Her voice was strange, a raspy, dry whisper, nothing like her kind, soothing voice that was always so full of laughter, though I could tell from experience that she was scarred. As one of my friends would say, (can’t remember which one—I think he has something to do with Dream though) “her aura is mangled,” which is basically code for “she’s been emotionally scarred.” 

Where was I... Right! Her voice! Well, that wasn’t even what set off alarm bells in my head (that might have been the after math of the air horn that got stuck in my skull last month, or the bells from the month before that [all pranks done by one of the others] but it doesn’t really matter). It was what she actually said that terrified me: 

“The game begins tonight,” she muttered, a sense of dreadful glee in her voice. 

“Uh, what? What game?” I asked cautiously. 

She looked at me for a moment, acting as if this was the first time she’d seen me, then a soft smile spread across her lips.

“Blueberry Sans,” she muttered, “Undertale turned Underswap AU. Cursed, glitch, orphan, judge. Main soul trait: clemency, also known as forgiveness. Ah yes, the third glitch, created by accident when left alone in Error Sans’ Anti-Void, one of the few who can hear the voices, the creators, the readers, speaking to them. Status: should be dead. The true guardian of this timeline is currently using her magic to keep him alive until such a time as his soul no longer needs support arises.”

“Waaaaait... what?” I asked. What was she talking about?

The smile widened. “So you can hear me. Then we made a connection. I guess the Queen was right: blood IS thicker than water. Hello, Comic Sans. How are you today?” 

“Uh... Good?”

“Excellent. I see that you’ve healed quite rapidly, despite the... _extensive injuries_ you sustained during the ambush.”

“I guess so... Who are you? I know you’re not Kaliyah. She doesn’t talk like that.” 

“How rude of me. My name is Charity, but you might know me better as...” Her smile turned sinister. 

**_“Chara Dreemur.”_ **

I backed away, dropping my own mug. “That’s not possible. You’re... you’re still back in Underswap! How are you here?! How are you possessing Kaliyah?” 

“Are you sure? As for how... I am everywhere, nowhere, and, well, here, I suppose. Are you sure I’m _your_ Chara?”

“Well, after you said that, of course not but... you know that I’m a glitch. Very few people know that. I don’t think even Stretch knows that!”

She giggled. “You’re right. I guess I _was_ your Chara. That’s why I’m here to give you and the other monsters a warning. Kaliyah is getting a similar warning as we speak.” 

“Okay... Wait, did you say _was_ my Chara? What do you mean...” 

“The game begins tonight. None of your actions are your own. You can trust no one but yourselves, maybe not even yourself. Nothing is as it seems. Beware the black smoke, for it holds the secrets of the past. Contacting your allies will be futile, as this AU is sealed off to all outsiders unless... well, you get the picture there. Stay safe, and stay cautious. Keep my sisters safe. If you do not heed my words, Comic Sans, you will regret it. Oh, and remember the voices. They might be able to help you puzzle this out.”

“What... Why... How... Who are you?!”

“As I said before, my name is Charity, but in reality? I just might be your worst nightmare...” She laughed as the green glow in Kaliyah’s eyes faded, and then the laughter died down as well.

I sat there for a moment, contemplating the warning. What game could she mean? And how can our actions not be our own? How can we not trust ourselves? 

I got the _nothing is as it seems_ part. I mean, Kaliyah just happens to be quite possibly the only mage in Ebott, and she doesn’t even know it. 

And I already was terrified of the black smoke. She didn’t have to tell me twice. It was the second part that puzzled me. What was so dangerous about the secrets of the past? I had remembered a lot, but I could tell from subtle clues in sequential memories that I had quite a few holes in my memory, almost as if someone was trying to stop me from remembering. The feeling is frustrating, but that was to be expected, I guess. 

And my allies... did she mean Ink, Dream, and Error? From what she said, they couldn’t find me. That was probably the most troubling part of all.

“Stay safe, and stay cautious. Keep my sisters safe,” she had said. What sisters? What were we to be cautious of?! None of this made any sense!

The voices... Oh! The voices! That would be you guys! How are you supposed to help me again?

After a moment I slowly approached Kaliyah, hoping that things had gone back to normal, and that this wasn’t her normal. (If her normal was being possessed by half-demon kids I was out. I don’t care if she saved my life, or even the WHOLE FLIPPIN UNIVERSE! That’s just too much for me to handle.) 

“K-Kaliyah?” I asked. “Are you... YOU again?”

She slowly looked up at me, her eyes full of absolute misery, indescribable pain, terrible dread, and perhaps regret, but the most alarming one was fear. She was afraid of the world. The one who had tried to help me was probably even more damaged than I was.

“Run, Blueberry. Run, and don’t look back,” she said quietly in a sorrowful tone. “Let what’s lost, stay lost, so that we do not fall from deadly curiosity. Stay in blissful ignorance, Blueberry Sans, for it just might save your life...” 

“What... W-what are you talking about, Kaliyah? You’re not making any sense.” 

Her voice lowered and she began muttering to herself. “We start out with stars in our eyes... We start out thinking that we belong... But every sun doesn’t rise...” She looked up at me, and I could see my terrified face in the pools of black tar that had become her eyes. 

**_“And no one tells you where you went wrong.”_ **

That was when I ran out of the room. I mean, you think that I’d be used to black eye sockets as I hang out with five other skeletons almost 24/7, but that’s because we can pull the look off without looking like a freaking psychopath! The look on a living human being? No thank you! That’s absolutely terrifying!

I rushed into the room that Kaliyah had said I could stay in and slammed the door behind me, locking it. NOTHING was getting into my room. No demons here! 

When I was sure that the door was securely closed, I studied the room a little bit. Whoever had lived here before me had loved the color green which shown in the decor and wall color. The only not green or white thing was the comforter, which was turquoise blue. Did she know I was going to pick this room? 

I walked over to the blue and green bed and collapsed on it, staring up at the ceiling. What was going on in this crazy house? 

“What have I gotten myself into?” I muttered. 

_“That depends,”_ said a young girl’s voice. 

I looked around. There didn’t seem to be anyone else in the room. 

“What... what do you mean by that?” I asked tentatively. I didn’t want to scare them off until I could figure out who they were. 

_“Well, if you’re talking about the house, then you’ve just gotten into a huge family mess. If you mean the black smoke downstairs, then it’s something much more sinister.”_ She paused, as if realizing something for the first time. _“Wait... you can hear me?”_

“Well, yeah. I mean, you’re speaking plainly enough.” 

_“But NOBODY can hear me. Not even Kaliyah, and... well, let’s just say we have a bit of a history.”_

Then a young girl with short red hair and soft green eyes stepped out of the wall, a huge smile spreading across her face as I stared at her.

 _“You can SEE me!!”_ she gushed. _“This is INCREDIBLE! It’s been YEARS since I’ve had company. I mean, I guess you’re a little odd since you’re a skeleton, but I’m just an imprint so I guess I can’t judge, now can I?”_

I just stared. “You’re... a ghost... that haunts this house... and Kaliyah doesn’t know?” 

_“Like I said, you’re the only one who can see me.”_

“So... do you own the house?” I mean, Mettablook owned a house. Why couldn’t she? It was a valid assumption.

She gave me a strange look. _“Heck, no! I don’t know about where you come from, but up here, ghosts can’t own houses. ESPECIALLY ones that can’t be seen by anyone but glitchy skeletons.”_

“How do you know I’m a glitch?” 

_“You glitched momentarily when you spoke earlier. Most others wouldn’t notice, but I’ve gotten used to seeing things others don’t. Besides, I’ve seen my room a bajillion times. You’re new. You’re exciting! Love the stars in your eye sockets, by the way. Makes you look more approachable.”_

“Thanks—hold up. _Your_ room?” 

_“Yep. This is where I lived before... I don’t think I’m dead, just... stuck, I guess. If I were truly dead I wouldn’t be here, now would I?”_

“No, I guess not. So... who are you?”

 _“I’m... Oh. I just realized that I don’t actually have a name. That’s so embarrassing...”_ She sat down on the bed next to me and buried her head in her head. I thought I could hear her chewing herself out about that for not thinking of that when she started talking to me. 

_I was. It’s so stupid that I didn’t realize I never had a name. I have vivid memories of times when my name would have been said, but I don’t remember what they said._

I get the feeling. But why are you talking to my recording device? How are you even able to be heard?!

_... That’s a good question... I have no idea. I mean, I can’t be heard and I can't touch anything LIVING (besides you, of course), but I can touch things like books and pencils. They usually disappear when I hold them, of course, but if I wasn’t able to read, I think I would have lost my mind by now. I do miss cooking. I loved cooking._

Huh. So do I. Now, back to the story. 

_Right._

“That’s okay,” I said, sitting up and putting an arm around her to comfort her. 

_“Thanks, but I don’t think you can really help me—what are you doing?”_

“What do you mean?” 

_“You’re... touching me. No one can touch me, and I can’t touch anyone else. How are you touching me?”_

“Do you want me to stop?” 

_“No! It feels amazing. It’s just... been so long since...”_

“Ah. You’re just not used to to it. I get it. Things lately have been weird for me too. I mean, my new friend Kaliyah—”

_“That’s it! That’s my name!”_

“Kaliyah?” That was going to get confusing really quick if that was the case.

_“Yes! Well, not exactly. I’m Liyah. I think. Pretty sure anyway.”_

“All right, Liyah.” 

_“Go on. You were saying something about Kaliyah. Isn’t she the new owner of this house?”_

“Yeah, but she’s got PTSD because of something that happened ten years ago in this house. Do you... know anything about that?” 

_“I... think so? That time is kinda fuzzy... I remember hundreds of skeletons attacking my mother’s room, the one down the hall, but they didn’t look like you. They had no clothes.”_

I held up my hands. “Hold up. A bunch of naked guys attacked your mother’s room ten years ago, and they were okay with being naked?!”

She laughed. _“Well, it’s not like they had a choice. I’m surprised you aren’t more worried about the fact that they were being controlled.”_

“Eh. That’s... odd. I feel like I’ve been controlled like that before, but I don’t remember when...”

 _“Sounds like we have something in common.”_

“Yeah. I guess so.” We sat for a moment in silence before I continued. “So if this is your room, are there ghosts in the other rooms too?” 

_“... Not that I know of. If there are and they’ve just been hiding from me then we’re going to have some words, cuz that’s just cruel.”_

“Yeah, it is. So you were alone in the house for the last ten years?” 

_“... Sort of? Every once in a while people would come in and poke things, then leave again, but otherwise, yeah. Kaliyah moved back in a few weeks ago.”_

“That explains why she didn’t know about us. She wasn’t even here!” 

_“Exactly.”_

“... Do you ever get lonely?” 

_“Constantly. It takes a lot of effort to leave this room, and Kaliyah won’t come in it for reasons I don’t understand.”_

We talked a great deal more about all kinds of topics. Somehow she knew that Ink, Dream, and Error were all looking for me. I asked if she could send them a message, and she said that she would try. Apparently, she could reach them the same way the voices did, and that was why I could see her, which I thought was interesting. I could see things others couldn’t! Incredible! 

Then we talked about my glitch and the resets and my AU and the strange circumstances surrounding it. Which brings me to something you guys are all probably wondering. 

If I had the chance to go back to being Classic, I don’t think I would take it. Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely things I miss about being Classic like the jokes and the Gaster Blasters and not having to do anything all day but sleep, but I feel like as Blueberry I can be a little more myself. I can be cheerful and a cook (hopefully Kaliyah will give me some REAL cooking lessons) and no one will look at me strangely. I get to take care of Stretch and everything I’ve ever wanted! Sure, I have those days where I’m more Classic than Blue, but most often, I feel best as Swap. I think I’m going to stay this way, thank you very much. 

_Uh, Blue?_

Yes, Liyah?

_Your brother is calling you. Apparently Sans wants to talk about Kaliyah again._

Thanks Liyah. Are you coming or do you just want me to update you when I get back?

_I can’t really leave, so..._

Got it. See you later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep. Blue is a glitch. I got the idea from Ask Error comic dub. And there’s a ghost in his room. Anything else I forgot to mention?
> 
> Oh yeah! Entries like this will happen periodically, and Blue won’t be the only writing them, so watch out for them! They often show a side of the story that Kaliyah can’t tell...
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> 💛🧡😁🧡💛


	6. Ill Tidings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaliyah is sick, and things start to get hairy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of the chapters I have to transfer over from my other site. I hope you like it!

**The Skeletons’ POV’s**

Papyrus came out of his room after the hour that Kaliyah had said he would have to stay in bed to find Kaliyah unconscious on the floor. 

“OH NO!! KALIYAH!!! KALIYAH WAKE UP!!! PLEASE!!!” he cried, trying to shake her awake. 

“What’s wrong?” Stretch asked as he stepped into the room. Then he saw Kaliyah unconscious on the floor. “Oh. Oh no. What happened?!” 

“I DON’T KNOW!!! I JUST FOUND HER LIKE THIS!!!” Papyrus exclaimed in worry. 

“Is there a reason you guys are yelling... What happened to Kaliyah?! Why is she laying on the floor?!” Fell asked in concern, Edge following him into the living room. 

“We don’t know. We just found her like this!” Stretch said, repeating what Papyrus had already said. 

Sans teleported to the couch. “What’s the... Oh. Oh geez. What happened to Kaliyah?!” 

“FOR THE LAST TIME, WE DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER!!! WE’RE TRYING TO FIND THAT OUT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!” Papyrus said exasperatedly. 

“Where’s Blue? Wasn’t he with her? Maybe he’d know,” Sans mused. 

“I’ll go ask,” Stretch decided. 

While the others tried to wake Kaliyah up, Stretch went back upstairs to find Blue. When he opened the door to his brother’s new room, he heard Blueberry talking to someone. 

“I know, I know. No one else can see you. But there has to be something you can do to prove you’re actually here and I’m not crazy.” He stopped talking for a moment before going on. “What do you mean, things disappear when you hold them!! So throw a pillow at them or something!!!” Silence again. “Right. You’re obviously a kindness soul. Violence is against your nature. I get it. I don’t like violence either.” More silence. “No, it’s because my best friends are literally the king of positivity and the creator of the AU’s.” More silence. “Why are you laughing?” Even more silence. “Yes, I’m serious!! Dream and Ink really are like that!” More silence. “Is it really so weird?” More silence. “Yes, I became a glitch before I met them. Ink actually saved me. If I had stayed alone in the Anti-Void much longer, I would not still look like this. Probably.” More silence. “I... guess I would go back if I could. It became a second home to me, once I became a glitch. I loved it. I felt safe there.” More silence. “Yes, Error is aware of how I feel about his home. We’re actually really good friends now. The six of us have a nice house that we share in Starhaven, though I still have this feeling that I’m forgetting a few people...” More silence. “I’m sorry. I could barely remember that Dream, Nightmare, Ink, and Error existed before last night! Cut me some slack! It’s not every day you get tossed into— What do you mean, someone’s at the door? Who is it?” A moment’s silence before Blue spoke again. “Oh shoot—” 

The door opened wider and Blueberry gave Stretch a sheepish grin. “Hey bro! How’s it going?”

Stretch looked into the room, but there was no one else there. “... Who were you talking to, brother?”

“No one! No one at all!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Then how did you know I was at the door?”

Blue froze. “I... uh... I heard you!” He said nothing for a second before muttering, “I’m aware that’s a terrible lie, but what was I supposed to say?! I’m talking to the ghost of a kid who’s been haunting this empty house for the last ten years!” He glared at something next to him, something Stretch couldn’t seem to see. “Well, you’re not helping.”

Stretch looked between Blue and the imaginary something that he was arguing with. “We just wanted to know if you knew what happened to Kaliyah...”

Blue gave him a strange look before smiling as realization dawned in his eyes. “Oh! So she stopped spewing black smoke then! And I sure hope that Chara stopped possessing her! It was terrifying!” He looked next to him. “You mean I didn’t tell you about that? Sorry.” He listened for a moment before continuing. “Well why do you think I ran up here?! I was having a nice conversation with Kaliyah before that! I wouldn’t just run out on her! That’s EXTREMELY rude! Perhaps even ruder than ignoring people!!”

“She was WHAT?!?!?!” Stretch yelled. 

Blueberry blinked in surprise at his brother’s outburst. “Spewing black smoke? I literally just said that.” 

“She was possessed and spewing black smoke and YOU DIDN’T TELL ANYONE!!!” 

“Well... I was a little preoccupied with what Chara said—”

“She was possessed by flipping CHARA?!?!?!” Stretch exclaimed.

“Oh, don’t worry. She said she was our Chara, not the demon one the others talk about.”

“That’s still worrying! What did she tell you?”

“She said she had a warning for us, us being the skeletons.” 

Stretch waited for him to continue. “And it was...”

“Oh! Right. Uh, well... I think everyone should hear it, don’t you?”

“True. So... Do you want to come downstairs and help us or are you going to keep talking to your... FRIEND?” 

The stars in Blue’s eye sockets glowed brighter as his grin widened. “You... you can see her?!?! Really?! That’s amazing! Did you hear that Liyah?!?!”

“See who?”

The stars in his eye sockets immediately dim. “You... can’t see her, can you.” It wasn’t a question. All three of them knew it was true. 

“Again, who am I supposed to be seeing?”

Blue sighed. “Never mind. Let’s just go. See ya later, Liyah.” 

They went back downstairs to find Kaliyah talking with the others. 

“Paps, go get the chair from the closet at the end of the hall, will you?” she asked tiredly. 

“OF COURSE, KALIYAH! IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE!!! NYEH HEH HEH!!” Papyrus grinned before doing as he was told. “DO YOU MEAN THE ONE WITH THE WHEELS?” 

“That’s the one,” she confirmed. 

“So... what happened to ya, doll?” Sans asked. 

“It’s... complicated. I don’t really feel like talking about it right now. Would one of you... open a window? It smells like smoke in here.”

“WHY? IT’S FREEZING OUTSIDE, AND I KNOW THAT COLD ISN’T GOOD FOR HUMANS!!” Edge reasoned. 

“Well... smoke is... poisonous to humans... even... more deadly... than fire...” she mumbled. She looked exhausted. 

They all stared at her. 

“... What?” Sans asked. 

She gave them a strange look. “Did you guys not go over fire safety in school? You know, stop, drop, and roll? Feel a door with the back of your hand to see if it’s hot before opening it? Stay close to the floor because smoke rises? None of this is ringing a bell?”

“... NO?” Edge tried. 

“That’s... worrying.” She slumped down on the couch. “Is it hot in here to anyone else?” 

“No... why?” Fell asked.

“I just... feel like I’m burning... ya know?” 

“Uh, no. I don’t.” He noticed Blue and Stretch. “Hey, guys. Does Blue know what happened to Kaliyah?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” Kaliyah mumbled. “Calypso just wanted to chat and play a game. She was CRAZY, ya know?” She began giggling uncontrollably. 

They stared at her. 

“Ooookay. Moving on. What actually happened, Blue?” Sans asked.

“Apparently Kaliyah was possessed by Underswap Chara and spewing black smoke and Blue didn’t tell anyone,” Stretch told them. 

“WHAT?!?!” Fell roared. 

“I said I was sorry. I was a bit preoccupied at the time. I mean, what would you do if Kaliyah suddenly stopped talking, dropped her mug, eyes started glowing as black smoke appeared around her like a fog, starts muttering about a game, and then suddenly she calls me Blueberry Sans! SHE KNEW MY NAME, STRETCH!!!” Blueberry reasoned. “MY NAME!!!”

“O-k, I admit that is kinda freaky.” 

“IS THERE A REASON THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING THIS RIGHT IN FRONT OF KALIYAH?” Edge asked, reminding them that the human was still in the room. 

Sans shrugged. “Eh. I doubt she’ll remember it while she’s like this. She seems... loopy.” 

“I GOT THE CHAIR ON WHEELS, KALIYAH!!” Papyrus grinned as he entered the room with a wheelchair. 

“Good job, Papyrus,” she said with a tired smile, not seeming to have heard anything the others had just said. “Now put your brother in it.” 

“YES, KALIYAH!!!” Papyrus beamed, picking up the protesting Sans and placing him in the wheelchair. 

“Hey! What was that for?!” Sans asked angrily. 

“Just needs a few adjustments,” she muttered as she strapped his broken leg to the wheelchair so that she could make the medical equipment optimal for him. “There,” she finally said, stepping back. “All done. Now, Sans?” 

“Yes?” he snapped. 

“You... are to stay... in the wheelchair... unless you are in bed. Do I make myself clear?” 

“What? Why?” 

“You need... to stay off that leg... until it’s healed properly.” 

“And how long is that?” 

“A month at least, judging by the shatter.” 

“WHAT?!?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE MEANTIME?!?!” he roared. 

“I don’t know... Sleep? Read?” 

“What’s wrong, Classic? I thought you liked being lazy,” Fell teased. 

“That is a choice. This is confinement,” Sans snapped. 

“Fell... needs to stay off his feet for a while too... so his ribs can heal... Nothing too physical just yet...” 

“WHAT?!” Fell protested. "But--"

“What’s wrong, Fell? I thought you liked being lazy,” Sans teased. 

Fell growled at him. 

“Now... would you mind... getting me... my first aid kit?” Kaliyah asked Papyrus. “It’s in the kitchen...” 

“OF COURSE!!! IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE, HUMAN—I MEAN, KALIYAH!!!” he grinned, grabbing the orange bag from the kitchen and handing it to her. 

She pulled out an electric thermometer and put it against her forehead until it beeped, seemingly oblivious to the six skeletons watching her intently. She pulled it away and read the number on it. She started to chuckle. “104.6 degrees Fereinheit. That’s... that’s bad.”

“What’s bad?” Sans asked. 

She chuckled more. “I have a fever. And a bad one. Once you get to... too high... well, I learned that people start hallucinating...” She began to laugh harder. 

“UH... WHAT’S SO FUNNY?” Edge asked. 

“You know,” she giggled, staring at him with a mischevious look in her eyes, “I’ve never seen a red skeleton unicorn before, let alone one that could talk!! Did you come over the rainbow?” 

“UH... WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY TO THAT?!” Edge whisper-yelled to Fell, who just shrugged. 

“I think maybe we should call Tori,” Sans suggested. 

"YOU DO THAT, BROTHER," Papyrus agreed. "I'LL MAKE SURE KALIYAH DOESN'T HURT ANYONE, INCLUDING HERSELF!!" 

"That's a great idea, bro. You are the _perfect_ one for that," Sans grinned as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Toriel's number. 

She picked up after two rings. _"Hello, Sans. To what do I owe the pleasure today?"_

"Hey, Tori. I'm gonna need some advice. You see, that human friend that I told you about earlier--"

_"The one we don't believe exists?"_

He sighed. "Yes. That one. Well, she has a very high fever, and I was wondering what you do to break a fever at 104.6 degrees?" 

_"Oh! Get a washcloth, soak it in cold water, and place it on her forehead. Then you want to..."_

While Sans got instructions from Toriel on how to treat a fever, Kaliyah kept laughing her head off about her hallucinations.

Unfortunately, the good humor was about to die. 

Suddenly, she stopped laughing and stared at the skeletons around her, a fear-stricken look on her face. 

"W-why'd she stop?" Fell asked, unnerved **_(haha)_ ** by the expression on her face. "Why is she looking at us like that?" 

"We may want to move..." Stretch began, but the warning would be too late. 

Her eyes began to glow green once more, and her breathing quickened as she began to mumble something incomprehensible. 

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Blue asked her. "WE DIDN'T CATCH THAT." 

"I said... LET THEM GO!!!!!" she roared, gigantic thorny vines exploding from the walls around them. 

"Everyone down!" Stretch yelled, pulling Fell and Blue (the two skeletons closest to him) to the floor. 

Edge and Papyrus weren't so lucky, as the giant vines wrapped around their torsos and limbs, trying to pull them apart. 

"WHAT... ARE... THESE THINGS?!" Papyrus asked, groaning in pain. "WHAT... ARE THEY... TRYING... TO DO TO US?!?!"

"I think they're trying to crack your ribs," Fell said worriedly. 

"WELL, WE SHOULD... STOP THEM... FROM DOING THAT... DON'T YOU THINK?!" Edge snapped, struggling against the vines. 

"Where did they come from?!" Stretch wondered. 

"Don't look at me!" Fell told him. "I didn't do this! None of us have this kind of magic!"

"Then that means..." 

They all looked at Kaliyah on the couch, breathing hard and glaring at them.

"It's Kaliyah. She's doing this. She's seeing something that's put her on the defensive," Blue realized. He turned and ran towards the stairs, avoiding vines as he went. 

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" Papyrus called to him. 

"I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!! I NEED TO ASK SOMEONE SOMETHING!!" he yelled back, rushing into his bedroom to find Liyah on the bed. 

She looked at him. "What is it, Blue? Is something wrong?" 

"I need... to know... what... would make... Kaliyah... attack something," he said, trying to catch his breath. 

She thought about that. "Well, I guess they would have to be hurting someone or something she cares about, as she is a kindness soul and violence isn't really in her nature. Why?" 

"She has a fever and is hallucinating and started attacking us with vines," Blue explained. 

"Oh! Well then, did she say anything before she began attacking?" 

"Yeah. _Let them go_. That ringing a bell?" 

"Not that I can remember--Hold on. She has siblings, right?" 

"Yeah." 

"What if she thinks you guys are either her siblings' captors... _or her siblings themselves!_ " she realized, bouncing up and down in excitement. "She must think that you guys are being, like, mind-controlled by Calypso or something! And she's trying to get 'Calypso' to let you go!" She snapped her fingers. " _Man_ , I'm good." 

"Well, how do we get her to stop?!" 

"Lower her temperature maybe? I don't know. The hallucinations are connected to the fever." 

"AND HOW DO WE DO THAT?!?!" 

She shrugged. "Cold compress on her forehead? That's the easiest way. You need to remove thermal energy." 

"WHAT THE HECK IS A COLD COMPRESS?!?!?!" he asked exasperatedly. 

"A washcloth soaked in cold water, duh! Haven't you guys ever had a fever before?" 

His shoulders slumped as he stared at her in disbelief. "No!!!!" 

"Oh! Well, that explains that!" She smiled innocently, and he face-palmed. 

"Why are humans so infuriating?" he muttered. 

"What was that?" 

He sighed. "Nothing. It's nothing."

She slid off the bed as he headed toward the door. "Why don't I come down with you? It might take more effort, but maybe I can help!" 

"That's the best idea you've had all day," Blue said tiredly, leading her down the stairs to the living room where the others... were fighting plants. And failing miserably. _Wow,_ it is a sorry day to be in existence!

"What the heck happened?!" Blue asked as he saw Stretch being held upside down and Fell trying to pull a vine out of his eye socket. "I left for, like, three minutes to ask Liyah a question, and you all become plant food?! I mean, WHAT THE HECK, BRO?!" 

"Well, the vines got Sans' wheelchair, which is why he's upside down, so we tried to help him and kinda got stuck," Stretch said sheepishly.

"STUPID VINE!!!" Fell cursed. "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!" 

"Okay. Blue, I need you to get a washcloth out of the third drawer beneath the microwave in the kitchen and soak it in cold water and then bring back in here to me. I'm going to see if I can get her to calm down," Liyah said, rolling up her sleeves and heading toward Kaliyah who was shivering on the couch. 

"But she can't see you!" Blue protested. 

"Who are you talking to?!" Stretch asked him. 

The duo ignored him. 

"Seriously, who is he talking to? Do any of you see anything?" Stretch asked the others.

"Nope," Fell said, continuing to try and pull the vine out of his eye socket. "But then again, I can't really see much at the moment, so..."

"Nah," Sans said, gasping in pain as his broken leg was twisted by the position he was dangling.

"SEE WHAT?" Papyrus asked, confused.

"THERE'S NOTHING THERE TO FLIPPIN' SEE!!!" Edge protested.

"It's the best idea we've got," Liyah pointed out. "Just go get that washcloth, and I'll see if the past can reach the future." 

"Okay. If you say so." Blue turned and rushed into the kitchen. 

"Where are you going?!" Stretch asked exasperatedly. 

"I'LL BE RIGHT BACK, BRO!!" Blue called back, grabbing a washcloth from the drawer and turning on the faucet. "JUST NEED TO DO SOMETHING!!!" 

When he got back into the Living Room, Edge had been flung against a wall and was knocked unconscious and Sans was still dangling upside down from the wheelchair, crying out in pain as the restraints bent his broken leg. 

Meanwhile, Kaliyah was staring in horror at the phantom Liyah, who was trying to talk to her while vines fazed through the ghost's head. 

"It's okay," Liyah said soothingly. "You are safe. Calypso isn't here. You are hurting your friends in your fear. You need to calm down." 

"You... You don't exist... You're me... but _not_ me... Who are you?!" Kaliyah whispered. 

"I'm Liyah. Little Liyah? I lived here, long ago? Do you not remember me?" Liyah asked, confused. 

"You're... You're the girl from the photo... That's not possible... Why are you dead?!" 

"I... don't know, actually. I don't remember dying." 

"But... the photo..." 

"What photo is she talking about?" Blue asked Liyah, avoiding vines to get to the couch. 

"Um... I think she has a photo of her family? I don't know." 

"The photo... I know what photo she means!" Sans said excitedly, having been flipped upright again by the vines. "I saw her with a photo of a group of people when she rescued us that night! But I don't know where it is." 

"Great! That's helpful," Blue slumped. 

"Is... Blue being sarcastic?" Fell asked in disbelief. 

"I think so... That's... weird!" Stretch muttered. "He's never done this before... What did she do to him last night?"

"Kaliyah, where is the photo?" Liyah asked her. 

"My photos... My closet... No..." Kaliyah mumbled. 

"What?" 

"You're... You're a fake... You're with her... You're helping her control them... Let... them... GO!!!!!!" 

Her anger exploded, causing the vines to grow thicker and squeeze tighter around the skeletons. 

"BLUE!" Papyrus yelled. "WHATEVER YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, STOP!!! IT'S NOT HELPING!!!!" 

"It's not me! She thinks that Liyah is helping Calypso!" Blue protested. 

"WHO IN THE UNDERGROUND IS LIYAH?!" 

"She's a ghost who lives in my--You know what? Oh, never mind. You wouldn't believe me anyway."

"So Blue is insane!" Fell concluded. "That explains a lot!" 

"I am not--Oh, forget it! I have things to do. Which one is Kaliyah's room?" 

"It's down the hall on the first floor. You'll know it's hers because the theme is green," Sans told him. 

"Thanks. I'll be back!" 

"And I'll try to fix this problem," Liyah told him. 

Blue rushed into the hallway, wondering briefly why he was doing everything, and into the green bedroom where he swung open the closet door. There was just one problem:

The photos were on the top shelf.

"Great. How am I supposed to get those?!" he snapped. Then he looked at his hands. "Come on, Blue! You're not thinking straight!" He summoned a Gaster Blaster and climbed on top of it so that he could reach the top shelf.

He was about to just grab the photos and go when he saw what they were. He tenderly picked up the pictures and saw the family picnic and a little girl with a laughing red-haired man. They looked so happy in the photos, nothing like the eternal sadness in the eyes of Kaliyah of the present. Perhaps this was where her joy had gone, into the forgotten folds of history, the everlasting halls of memory. 

He cradled the photos as he rode his Blaster down the hall into the living room, where the situation had gotten worse. **_(I'm not going to describe it because why even bother? Just use your imagination. XP)_ **

Liyah was trying to convince Kaliyah that she wasn't working for Calypso, and failing. The vines were getting more desperate to wrap themselves around her, and the more they realized that they couldn't, the more frustrated they slowly became and the more they squeezed their prisoners. 

Blue used his blaster to make his way through the thick vines to the couch where he landed next to Kaliyah. It was only then that he realized that Liyah looked exactly _like the little red-head girl in the photograph._ He finally understood what Kaliyah had said about Liyah being the girl from the photo. But if Liyah was the girl, why did Kaliyah have it? 

"Kaliyah! Kaliyah, listen to me. Look! It's your photos!" Blue told her while handing her the photos, unsure what it was meant to do.

"My... photos?" she looked at the pictures, and tears filled up her glowing eyes as she brushed her hand over the photo of the picnic. "My family..." She then looked at the photo of the red-haired man. "Father... Oh, how I miss you all so much!" She burst into tears, clutching the photos against her breast, the glow fading from her eyes. 

The vines, responding to her emotions, gently putting their captives on the ground before seeming to grow in reverse and disappear back into the cracks of the house.

Papyrus went to make sure Sans was securely in the wheelchair and not in danger of falling out, and Fell went to help his half-conscious brother, while Blue tentatively sat down by Kaliyah, not knowing what to do.

"Are you... okay, Kaliyah?" he asked slowly, not wanting to trigger another outburst.

She looked at him, her green eyes full of never-ending tears. "N-not r-really."

"What's wrong? Who are these people in your photos?" he asked.

She wiped at her cheeks to no avail before letting him see the photos clutched to her chest. "They're _*sob*_ my _*sniffle*_ lost f-family," she said through her tears. She pointed to the picture of the girl and the man. "This _*sniffle*_ is my father, Leo Lionheart. I was _*sniffle*_ only nine when his car rolled off the road and down the hill. He was one of the kindest people I ever knew, always willing to lend a hand. I try my best to live up to his legacy. I couldn't believe it when they said he was dead..." She trailed off, lost down memory lane.

"Who's the girl?" Blue asked, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Who? Her? That's me. I was only eight at the time the photo was taken. It was one of my few daddy-daughter dates with him, and my father wanted to help me remember it since they were so rare. It's one of the only photos of him that survived the disaster, and one of my greatest treasures."

Blue thought about that, looking over the photo and the two people in it. He still thought that Liyah looked like the girl in the photograph, giving him the conclusion that they were related in some way, but the same person?! But how was that possible? Liyah was already dead, and Kaliyah was still living. It hurt his head to think about.

"And the other one?" he asked, pushing aside those thoughts for later. 

"This is from a picnic the summer before my eleventh birthday. We were all having a lot of fun. Mom wanted a picture of it so that we could remember it. I don't know why, but I'm glad she did. These two photos were the only ones to survive that night," she said sorrowfully, looking at the pictures fondly. 

"Can you tell me who's who?" he asked her, trying to help her stay calm while the others fixed themselves up. 

"This one is me," she said, pointing to the little redheaded girl in the front sitting on the lap of a girl with white hair. "I was only ten." 

Now he **definitely** saw a resemblance between the two girls. Liyah looked like a younger version of Kaliyah. But why? What had happened that night? How were there two of them?

"The one holding me is my sister Charity, though little Frisk couldn't pronounce her name right so she called her Chara. She was the oldest at the age of fifteen and helped me take care of the household after Dad was gone so that Mom could go to work. I took the younger kids and the meals, she took the older ones and the chores. She was a very loving person." 

Charity, also known as Chara... The girl from earlier when Kaliyah was possessed called herself Charity and told him to keep her sisters safe. Perhaps Kaliyah was one of the sisters she meant? But then who was the other one? Liyah?

"And the tall white-haired lady in the back is my mom, Barbara Lionheart. Her maiden name was Cleaver. This was one of the few days she got to spend with us." 

Blue thought that Barbara looked tired despite the huge smile on her face. Really tired. Her eyes looked like they use to sparkle but had forgotten how to a long time ago, contrary to how happy her smile looked. The way she held the child in her arms showed that she loved her, but all the same, she looked exhausted and worried, like she knew something bad was going to happen. Could she have known of the event that would happen less than six months later?

"The baby in her arms is Franzciska, AKA little Frisk. She had just turned one when this photo was taken and was starting to talk and walk. She was always so determined to do things herself. We loved that about her."

Charity, AKA Chara Dreemur, had a sister named Frisk?! That couldn't be a coincidence. Classic was right. They really **did** need to introduce Kaliyah to Toriel. Could little Frisk _really_ be her sister? They'd have to wait and see. 

"Then the girl in the tutu is Iridessa," she said, pointing to the black-haired, blue-eyed girl to Barbara's right. "She was the musical one in the family, always singing and dancing. I took ballet and piano lessons with her. She was nine when it happened, when they all..." She stopped, not wanting to continue that train of thought.

She shook her head and continued, pointing to a brown-haired boy clutching a notebook, the only one in the picture that wasn't smiling. "This is Percy, though his real name is Perseus. He was the second oldest at 14 and a major bookworm. You never found him without a book or a notebook and a pencil in his hand. He was always one for telling stories when he was younger, but then one day something changed. I don't remember exactly when, and he never told me why, but suddenly he hated all fairytales. He originally wanted to be an author, but after that day he wanted to be a scientist so that he could write down facts instead of fiction. It broke my heart to see him like that. His playful personality was gone, and I didn't know how to bring it back. I still don't."

Next, she pointed to a little boy with Latino looks, a fierce look on his face as he grinned at the camera. He looked ready for anything. "This is Benjamin, one of the two six-year-old twins. He and Jasmine--" she pointed to the blonde girl with the cowgirl hat making finger guns at the camera "--were really close. They did everything together. The twelve-year-old cowgirl and the boy who wasn't afraid of anything. What a pair." She sighed, probably remembering some good memories with them. 

Lastly was the girl with black hair and a sketchbook. "This is the other twin, Aliza, the quietest and most patient of us all, perhaps even Charity. She may not look like much, but hidden on her person is a toy knife with a sharp edge that she learned to use when she took self-defense at age five. _'I may be patient, but that doesn't mean I can't defend myself,'_ she told me once. The sketchbook in her arms is because she was an amazing artist, even at age six. She drew non-stop, and the things she drew... I don't even know how to describe them. She could trap a moment perfectly on paper with her photographic memory. She was a talented little girl."

Blue smiled as he listened to her talk happily about her siblings, but then he noticed something strange. Kaliyah's eyes changed color as she described her brothers and sisters and mother, matching the eye color of the person in question! When she spoke about herself, her eyes were as green as the vines she controlled, but when she talked about Charity, she had silver eyes. Iridessa gave her dark blue, Percy had bright violet behind his black glasses, Benjamin shared with her a fiery orange while Jasmine had bright yellow under her hat, Aliza brought with her a light turquoise that matched the ribbon in her hair, Barbara had a light blue, though with a hint of gold, and Frisk gave her bright red. Then he realized that when Liyah talked about the other children who had been in the house, her eyes stayed their normal green. What did it mean? He would have to remember to ask Classic later. 

Speak of the devil, Classic rolled his wheelchair over and, noticing that Blue had the cold compress in his hand, took it from him and shoved it onto Kaliyah's forehead. "There," he huffed. "Now you won't attack us again. Hopefully." 

"Attack you... I didn't attack you..." Kaliyah said, confused as she held the cold compress to her head. 

"Right. You don't remember using magic. A likely story. How can you not remember using magic when every time you do it's aimed directly at us?! I think you're lying! I thought you might be different but no, you're just like the others: a filthy lying mage!" he roared. 

"SANS!!! That was VERY rude!" Blue protested. "I know your leg hurts but that is no reason to say such mean things to Kaliyah!"

"No, he's right," Kaliyah said quietly, putting a hand on Blueberry's shoulder. "I know it doesn't sound right that I don't remember my magic, but I really don't. I'm sorry you feel that way, Sans, but I guess at the moment there is no way to change what you think. I'm just going to have to be patient and try to prove you wrong, I guess. I do care about you guys, but if you don't trust me, then I will have to try harder." 

Sans seemed shocked by what she said, but that wasn't all that scared him. Glowing turquoise knives spun in a circle behind her head as her eyes changed to an aqua blue, the color of patience. But the second she stood up, they disappeared, but her eye color didn't revert back to normal. 

"Excuse me, but I think I should go lie down before I hurt anyone else," she said quietly, her voice quietly quaking slightly as she walked through the living room and into the hallway, not looking back. 

Sans was surprised by her sudden quiet nature. It was as if she had become a whole other person all of a sudden. But he realized that that wasn't the only problem he had as he noticed everyone else in the room glaring at him. 

He had just gotten himself in a whole load of trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Man did we get a lot of information today in 16 pages and only 5659 words! Let's go over it again:
> 
> * So Kaliyah is sick with a fever and Sans is stuck in a wheelchair. I wonder why those two don't get along much...
>   
> 
> * And what about the discovery of the link between Liyah and Kaliyah? What does it mean?How are they involved with each other?
>   
> 
> * The skeletons are learning more and more about her family as time goes on. What will happen when Kaliyah and Frisk actually meet?
>   
> 
> * And how did Kaliyah, a Kindness soul, use patience magic? Does it have to do with the changing of her eye color? What does that mean?
>   
> 
> * What are the other skeletons going to do to Sans for being rude like that?
> 
> Sorry about all these cliffhangers (not really XD), but I kinda want to hear your theories. Please comment your ideas down below.
> 
> (I have realized that for those who like the Reader X Sanses and Papyri, you could just put your name instead of Kaliyah and insert your information when she talks about herself [the siblings are not debatable]. I don't actually care, but I'm just going to keep using her name so that it's simpler for me.)
> 
> Here's to hoping that Heaven and I can finish another update soon! Fingers crossed!
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> 💛🧡😁🧡💛


	7. Chapter IV - Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaliyah goes looking for the perfect Christmas for her new friends and ends up reuniting with an old one who is more than she lets on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry, it's a little late, but here's the next chapter! Remember to keep an eye on the Shattered Extras book for any fun stuff we decide to add. I don't think we have any extras for this chapter, but hopefully, we'll have some for the next update!
> 
> Also, say hi to Heaven! We finally figured out how to make her a cocreator. Now I just have to figure out how to insert pictures in the note section should I ever want to. XD
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> _\- Shards_

**Kaliyah's POV**

It had been several days since Sans had snapped at me. Christmas was just a day away, but no one had said anything. How could they after the living room fiasco? 

I went about life as usual, besides leaving the house as much as I could to avoid Sans the untrusting. Maybe if I tried to make it up to him somehow, that'll make things between me and him better. Might as well do the same with the others, especially seeing as how some of those, what the others had called them, vines had gotten pretty close up and personal with them. Especially with Fell, yikes, having something like that in your eye, little alone your eye socket sounds painful.

So I decided that for the past 24 hours, I would go shopping for Christmas gifts and the needed ingredients for a proper Christmas feast. You know, to make it up to them and to give Sans some space. The only problem was, what did they like? I mean, I know Blue LOVES tacos, but that's hardly considered Christmasy for a Christmas feast. Maybe if I could somehow bring up the subject without ruining the surprise to one of them, I could pull it off. I should probably do the same with gifts preferences too. But I have to make that subject more discreet and not too obvious. 

And I knew just the guy to talk to. 

I walked into Blue’s room to find him talking to nothing again. He had gotten into the habit of doing that a lot lately. 

“Heya, Blue,” I said nonchalantly, causing him to jump in alarm. He looked at me like I caught him red-handed taking a cookie from the cookie jar before supper.

“H-hey, Kali! W-what are you doing? I thought you were out today,” he said nervously. 

“I just wanted to ask a couple of questions about your buddies,” I said. I already knew what to get Blue: a replacement for the parka he had lost. Everyone else? I barely knew them. So I had decided to ask the only one who truly trusted me: Blueberry.

“Um… Okay? What do you want to know?” he asked, relaxing considerably. 

“Did the others have any special items from the house that they would have lost in the fire? Maybe something they thought was pretty important or that they liked a lot?" 

Blue thought about it for a minute, and the stars in his eyes brightened as he said, "Yeah! I think they did! I know that Fell really liked that old-timey looking record player that Edge gave him a while back! As for Stretch, he had this guitar he used to play all the time. One of his favorite things to do. He kept a lot of his stuff in the case, too. Especially his lucky guitar pick. It had a cute bumblebee on it too. Such a shame that it was probably lost in the fire… As for me, well…”

“Do you miss your parka?” Kaliyah asked him. “You know, the one from before all your friends changed?”

Blue nodded sadly. “I loved that parka… Shame to lose it.” 

“Okay. Did Sans or Papyrus or Edge have anything?” she asked. 

“Edge had a few collections of books that ranged from anywhere from crosswords to combat strategies. He really liked this one author that personally signed one of those books. He probably missed that the most…"

“Okay. Books. Noted. What about Paps and, uh, Sans? The one who practically hates me.” 

Blue looked at her with guilt and a tinge of sadness and anger painted on his face. "He doesn't hate you specifically, Kaliyah. Given our history with mages, not all of us monsters are so willingly open to the idea of mages still being alive after all these years."

“I still have no idea what a mage is,” Kaliyah said. “That was something none of you really explained.” 

“A mage… is a human with the capability of using magic,” Blue began, trying to figure out how to explain it. "Even back then, mages were rare to come by… they could harness their soul’s attributes with their sheer determination and will power to create an unimaginable force. And one of the rumors that we managed to overhear from the humans is that the mages that sealed us away died from using all of their powers towards the barrier. And that their remaining family members that had the same powers… started to dwindle.”

“So basically, they’re magic people with special souls that monsters are afraid of, right?” Kaliyah summarized. 

Blue looked the other way when he responded. "In a matter of speaking, yes.”

“So I scare you guys,” Kaliyah realized. “You don’t know whether I’m like the ones who sealed you all underground, and it’s making some of you testy, specifically Sans.”

Blue realized what she was getting at and quickly put his hands on Kaliyah's shoulders as he stood on the bed and looked her straight in the eyes and said, "NO! It's not you that we're worried about! I mean, yeah, sure, your powers are something that we need to work on, but you as a person are a total angel! You saved not only me but everyone else here when no one else would! So, don't let what Sans said get you down! Whether he knows and likes it or not, he does care about you and is totall grateful for what you did for us! So stop saying stuff like that, okay?" Blue bent over and gave her a deep hug to reassure her and everything was okay. "But continuing our conversation from earlier, I think Paps lost some cookbooks that he got from one of his monster friends. I think he even purchased a human cookbook by a famous chef named Rachel Rey. I think that was her name. But as for Sans, hm, he had containers filled to the brim full of jokester based items and some classic joke books as well. If you ask me, I'm kind of glad that's gone. Too many times have I heard cheesy puns and pranks that left me with ringing inside my head for weeks. Ugh, just thinking about it makes me get a headache!"

“Well, if I ever decide to get him a joke book, I’ll get him one full of good jokes and not puns, okay?” Kaliyah promised. 

"By the way, why are you asking about our stuff? It's not like any of what's left is salvageable." Blue asked her with a questioning look on his face. Then his attention was immediately directed towards the empty space again. "What are you laughing at? Wha—?! I'm not dense! What are you talking about?!"

Kaliyah began backing out of the room. “I’m just gonna leave ya with your imaginary friend. See ya around, Blue!” 

Blue was too busy arguing with nothing again to notice her leave. 

Kaliyah headed down to the kitchen and sighed. How the heck was she going to find out where the old house was? Unless… 

She pulled out her phone and rang up one of her old friends, Rosalinda Thornwood. “Rosie?” she asked. “I’ve got a question and I need a fantasy fanatic to answer it...”

* * *

**Rose's POV**

It was around noon when I got a call from one of my old childhood friends, one of the only people who accepted me for what I was: a monster fanatic. I _always_ loved the idea of the long lost species of the world. Sometimes my mother would say I was _in over my head_ about the subject, but I could always count on my friend Kali to be by my side when everyone was against me. 

But for some reason, after the incident with her family, she grew distant towards me. I mean, I know everyone was practically shunning and bullying her, but I was more than ready to defend her as she did with me. But she told not to get too close to her. Even to this day, I still don't know why she did that but as a friend, I respect her wishes. But if I have to intervene on certain matters, then so be it. 

So you can imagine my surprise when she called me on my cell! I didn't even know she still had her old phone! I mean, I kept her old number with my contacts mainly for memory's sake, but I didn't expect her to do the same… 

Regardless, once I answered the call, she said that she needed a favor that only an expert in the field of oddball fantasies could answer. She wanted the address of the latest house fire that occurred a few days ago. I asked, "Yeah, sure, but what does my _expertise_ in all things magical have to do with a house fire?" 

"Well, I'll spare you the details, but I have a few new room-mates that got attacked a few days ago by some jerky college students and apparently they set their house on fire as well." 

I froze in my tracks. I knew _exactly_ what and who she was referring to! I had heard about the rumors around campus that the jocks had beaten up some skeleton-looking monsters. And as an added bonus, destroyed their home so that they'd die in the freezing cold of a Utah winter! Even my parents thought that it was horrible! We wanted to do something for them, but with all the prejudice that's been around the monsters nowadays lately, my parents weren't about to risk their social lives over it. I, on the other hand, couldn't care less. I already knew the people around me knew what I was interested in and tried to avoid me. It was times like those that I sought after the comfort of Kali…

"Kali, am I thinking what you're thinking?" She didn't say anything because I knew that she knew that I was on to her. I sighed, "Kali… What have you gotten yourself into now?" 

I said this endearingly because I knew that even at a young age, before the incident, that she was a bit of a trouble maker. I mean, I was too. But that's natural for a pair of mischievous redheads. Kali and I were a lot alike in personality, hair, and at least one of our eyes. I was born _unique_ as my parents call it. I had one emerald green eye and one sapphire blue eye, and my snow pale skin didn't really help matters in keeping a _low profile_. The other girls ignored me and the boys picked on me, pulling my hair and such and calling me a freak or a monster in disguise. Kali was the only one that had the courage and kindness to come up to me and want to be friends. It's a memory that I'll treasure for the rest of my life.

I sighed over my cellphone and then grew a devious smile on my face. "Alright! I'll tell you where the house is under a few circumstances." The other end remained silent, and I took that as a cue to continue. "First, you have to let me come with you and be included in whatever you’re planning. Secondly, after you're done with whatever you're going to do at that place, you HAVE to let me meet your friends! I KNOW for a fact that you know that I'm still totally into the monster race and would want to ask questions. Third and most importantly, I want to be part of your life again. It hasn't been the same without you. I miss you. And I miss the little adventures that we would have. I want to be a part of that again. And I want to defend you and aid you the best way that I know that I can. And before you respond, I don't care what other people might do to me and I don't care if my parents decide to throw me out just because of my decisions. I want to be there for you, no matter what. So, do we have an agreement? And don't lie! Because even I can tell when you lie even over the phone! So, deal?" 

Kaliyah laughed. “Deal. To be honest, I missed you like heck. I only distanced myself from you because I didn’t want you to have to suffer it along with me. And you’re not the only one with questions for the skeleton brothers. Their bones are incredible! And their stories are even better! I really need to introduce you to Blue. You’ll love him. He’s the most interesting out of the six so far, but the others either don’t talk much or hate me, so I can’t really judge that yet. How about you come over for Christmas tomorrow? I think that’ll be fun, don’t you?”

I smiled my award-winning smile like I just won the Grammys. "Girl, if you're cooking and there's going to be monsters there, then heck yeah!" I pump my fist in the air while jumping. "I do have some questions though. One, what exactly do you need there at the burnt house? And two, if they're all boys… are they cute?"

“They are cute beyond your wildest dreams, sister,” Kaliyah grinned. “I think I have some pictures from when the boys were playing with my phone. I’ll show you once we get to the house. Want me to pick you up? I finally got that van I always wanted.”

"Yeah, sure! You always had your eye on that van like it was something from _The Lord of the Rings_ . You said that it was your _precious_ and everything! I was growing concerned for you my dear trouble maker. Hah! And I totally want to see those pics if you say they're as cute as you claim to be! But you didn't answer my first question though. What do you need from a pile of burnt rubble?"

Kaliyah sighed. “If I tell you something, do you promise not to freak out?” 

"Girl, you just told me that you're living with six living skeletons after some of the most _popular_ kids had just beaten them up, and I have yet to explode like the sleeping volcano of Mt. Fuji. I think you’re safe." I say the last part with sarcasm in my voice.

“Okay. Well, ever since I met the skeletons, I’ve found that I’ve been able to use… magic.”

I paused for a few seconds while I tried to process that bit of information about my best friend that I never knew about her. My lips begin to curl upwards and I begin to chuckle, "Well, I always knew that you were special somehow! Hah! Broken Bones and the Monster Girl! Quite the pair, huh? But continue with your explanation. I want all the details. By the way, I might not look the same way as the last time you passed by me. So just you're aware. Don't want to catch you off guard when we meet up."

“Why don’t I pick you up and then I can explain everything. Just need to grab the car keys and sneak past Fell and Stretch. For some reason, they’re really protective of me and demand to know where I’m going every time I leave the house. Probably worried the college guys are gonna come beat _me_ up next. We’ve already had an incident with a neighbor wanting me to kick the guys out, so their worries are probably not unfounded, to be honest,” Kaliyah said. “I’ll see you in five minutes, with or without the skeletal entourage.”

"Ok then, I'm at my house. You know where it is, right?"

Kaliyah laughed. “I went on a mission to Scotland, not to the hospital with amnesia. I know where your house is.”

I chuckled, "Ok, I just wanted to make sure. And like I said, I might look a bit different…"

Five minutes pass and Kaliyah's van pulled up my driveway, looking a little more beat up the last time I saw it. Kaliyah then stepped out of the driver’s seat and onto my driveway, looking stressed and exhausted as she walked up to the front door and knocked. 

I slowly opened the door and was prepared in waiting for her response in my dyed flame-styled long hair and the multiple piercings I had in my ears. And of course, the makeup that brought out my eyes and accentuated my lips. I also had a traveling tattoo on my back that traveled up to the upper side of my neck. It was of a bone cross with vines of red roses growing all around it. With the vines and a few roses reaching my neck. I mean, I should've mentioned it, but I think my neck spoke for itself… I waited to hear her response. I dressed warmly in a red and black striped turtle neck sweater and a pair of warm looking jeans and had a fluffy black winter jacket. So I hoped my wardrobe wouldn't set her off as much…

Kaliyah stared at her for a second. “Well. I have a feeling that your parents didn’t approve of this,” she chuckled. “Miss Rebellious, huh? I’d say nice tattoo, but that would mean that I agreed with you going against the rules. I do like the design though.” 

"Pfft, whatever, girl. At least I'm not possibly harboring fugitives!"

Kaliyah laughed. “Get in the car. I can add you to my criminal base.”

I scoffed at her and walked out of the house, locking it behind me before walking down the driveway and climbing in the front seat. As I saw her get in and start the van, I noticed that there was also some inside damage to the van as well.

Kaliyah sighed as she pulled out of the driveway and started driving again. “I gave the guys the slip, which means I should get a call from them any minute now--” 

Her phone rang on the console as she spoke, the contact ID reading Stretch. 

“That would be them,” Kaliyah chuckled. “Answer it and put it on speaker and don’t talk until I tell you to. And _definitely_ don’t tell them where we’re going. It’s a surprise I’m setting up for them.” 

I did as I was instructed and set it on speaker and stayed quiet as a church mouse. Heh. Ironic isn't it?

 _“KALIYAH!!!!”_ came a loud yell over the phone. _“WHERE ARE YOU?!?!”_

Kaliyah chuckled. “I’m out on a drive. Why do you have Stretch’s phone, Edge?” 

_“Because I gathered everyone to scold you for running off,”_ came a new voice. 

“I didn’t _run off_ , I left without telling you where I was going, Stretch,” Kaliyah corrected him. “I’m a grown woman. I don’t need six, no, five skeletons stalking me everywhere I go.”

 _“It’s six, mage,”_ grumbled another voice. _“Papyrus made me.”_

“Oh, boo hoo, Sans. It’s not really hard to do as you’re stuck in a wheelchair. All they have to do is put on the breaks and you're stuck, _parked_.” 

Sans chuckled involuntarily while three other voices groaned. Stretch and another new voice laughed. 

_“Kaliyah!”_ protested a young sounding voice. _“You promised no bad jokes!”_

“I did nothing of the sort, Blue! I promised not to get Sans any pun books, nothing more,” Kaliyah objected. 

_“Will you at least tell us where you’re going so we know whether to call the police when you don’t come back?”_ rumbled another voice.

“I’m hanging out with a friend, Fell. Rose, say hi,” Kaliyah told her.

I started to get nervous. This was the first time I had ever talked to an actual monster. I mean, yeah, I've tried to talk to monsters before, but things always got in my way and I wasn't able to greet them. Not even one! Grrrrr!

After a few minutes of waiting, a new voice came on the phone. _“IS YOUR FRIEND MUTE?”_

Kaliyah laughed. “Nah, she’s just never talked to monsters before. Give her a minute to collect her thoughts.” 

_“Oh great,”_ Sans grumbled. _“Another monster hater. As if there aren’t enough of those in this town.”_

I raised my eyebrow at that comment and began to scowl. And, like I do **every time** I get mad, I spoke my mind. "Hey, yeah, Sans is it? How about you take that prejudice that you’re spewing out of your mouth and shove it right back down where it came from, huh?!"

Kaliyah burst out laughing. “She’s got a point, Sans.” 

_“WHAT IS IT WITH HUMAN FEMALES AND SCOLDING PEOPLE?!?!”_ Edge asked. _“KALIYAH DID THE SAME THING TO ME WHEN I FIRST MET HER!!”_

 _“Are you saying you’re not a monster hater?”_ Sans asked. 

“Sans, she’ll be a monster hater the day the sun crashes into the moon,” Kaliyah laughed. 

_“THAT’S POSSIBLE?!?! SHOULD I BE WORRIED?!?! DO WE HAVE A SET DATE WHEN THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN SO I CAN PREPARE FOR IT?!?!?! WHY HAS NOBODY TOLD ME ABOUT THIS?!?!?!”_ panicked Papyrus.

I gave Kaliyah a sideways glance that said, _Really?_

“Papyrus knows nothing about our world,” Kaliyah explained. “None of them do, really. They’ve been trapped underground all their lives. You gotta cut them some slack.” 

Well, that was true. And I didn't blame them for that, but I **was** going to chew out that bonehead for thinking that I, _of all people_ , was a monster hater. "Look, I know that you've run into a lot of people that think less of you and your kind, but for your information, I actually support monsters for who they are! I actually read up on some old history books about you guys to get a better understanding on what you're going through! And I can understand that you might think of me as one of them, but as my late grandmother once told me, _you can't judge someone by their appearances alone. You have to actually get to know the person first and understand them from their point of view._ And if that can work with humans, that as heck can work for you! So you can just take back your words that you said to me and my homegirl and shove it up your tailpipe, got it?!"

Sans said nothing, so Papyrus spoke for him.

 _“SANS DIDN’T MEAN ANYTHING BY IT, HUMAN,”_ Papyrus said. _“WE HAVE JUST MET SO MUCH HATRED IN THIS CITY THAT IT HARD NOT TO ASSUME THAT EVERY NEW PERSON WE MEET IS AGAINST US.”_

 _“Paps is right,”_ Fell agreed. _“We weren’t expecting you to actually want to help us. I mean, Kaliyah only helped us because her missing sister told her to keep an eye out for someone with broken bones or something. What was it?”_

“ _Remember the broken bones,_ ” Kaliyah recited from memory. “ _They will aid you in your time of need._ I have to admit, I contemplated leaving Sans and Papyrus on the front doorstep until I saw Papyrus collapse from exhaustion. I mean, what’s the point of training to be a doctor if you don’t help the living skeletons on your doorstep. It’s actually good practice for me, to be honest.” 

I listened as she told us a little about what she's been through. And I couldn't help the knot tightening in my gut. I should've been there for her sooner, then maybe we could've stayed as really close friends. I sighed then speak up, "Well don't worry about Kali! I've got plenty of experience in the art of fighting. If she gets into any trouble I'll be sure to bail her out of it." I point ahead to where their house and motion for her to finish up the call. 

_“If she gets into trouble, duck for cover,”_ Fell corrected her. _“She’s terrifying in situations where she thinks she's in danger.”_

“I told you, Fell, I had no control over those vines. I had no idea they were even there, and I _definitely_ didn’t tell that vine to stick itself in your eye socket,” Kaliyah said.

I gave her a funny look then chuckled a little at the thought. I finally see the burnt house and tell her that it's time. "Okay, so we're coming to a bad spot for a signal but I'll make sure she calls you guys back after we're within range! So, just in case, Merry Christmas!!!!"

 _“What?! Wait! Don’t hang up--”_ Stretch began, but I had already hung up. 

“He’s going to try and hunt me down now,” Kaliyah told me. “They all are. They’re probably panicking as we speak.”

"Well we better hurry whatever the heck we're going to do then, now won't we, hm? By the way who's that guy with the gruff voice that sounds like that jerk, Sans? He sounds kinda cute."

“Yeah. I’m looking for a few of their old things that they loved so I can get them for Christmas tomorrow. And that would be Fell. Don’t be fooled by his rough demeanor, he’s a real sweetheart. His brother too. You just have to get past the fact that they’re both murderers.”

I raised my brow at her. Another question that I'd have to ask later. Although, now that I’m thinking about it, I shouldn't be too surprised that monsters killed one another. I mean, humans themselves do crazy stuff in confined places if they're left there for too long. I shouldn't be too surprised that happens the same for monsters as well. Either way, Fell had definitely caught my interest. Is it weird that I didn't find the fact that he was a murderer not a bit off-putting? Either way, I was kind of nervous and excited to meet him along with his family.

“Now, let’s see if we can find Fell’s record player, Stretch’s guitar case, Papy’s cookbook, and Edge’s autographed book, probably something that has to do with fighting. I’m hoping they all survived the fire,” Kaliyah said as she started into the rubble.

I looked over the horizon and noticed it was getting dark. Good thing I decided to bring my backpack full of supplies. One of them being flashlights. "Here you might need this." I tossed the flashlight to her and she easily caught it. 

“Thanks. Once we’re done here, I need to drop by the mall and pick up a few things. Blue needs a parka, Sans needs a prank kit, Stretch is probably going to need a new guitar as I doubt his original survived the fire, and I am just dying to get Edge a giant teddy bear. I know he’ll love it. And maybe if we find some old records… Oh!” 

"What'd you find?" I looked over to her direction and back out of the house to keep an eye out for any unexpected _guests_. I definitely made sure to bring my brass knuckles just in case if they're bigger than me.

“I found some heavy metal records in the wreckage, and they don’t seem too scratched up, though now that I think about it, I doubt that the record player survived the fire. I’ll have to add that to my shopping list. And here’s the case, and Papy’s cookbook! We’re on a roll! I’m going to go see if I can find where Edge kept his book collection…”

"I'll keep a lookout for anybody else that thinks that they can get lucky tonight."

Kaliyah waved me away, not really paying attention. “You do that,” she agreed.

I rolled my eyes and focused them back on where I was stepping, trying not to trip over a beam or a piece of rock.

But then I heard a yelp of fear coming from Kaliyah’s direction. Something was wrong.

I raced towards where the sound was, but unbeknownst to me, my soul started to glow a bright rouge pink. I felt as though my heart was about to leap out of my chest. I finally came upon a destroyed edgy looking room to find Kali bent over. "Kali! What's wrong?! Did you get hurt? Did someone or something scare you?! Answer me dang it!!!"

“Stay back,” Kaliyah growled. “I found a little intruder and am about to dispose of it.”

“W-wait! I’m not an intruder! This is my house!” cried a young-sounding voice from beneath her. “I live here!”

I slowly brought out my brass knuckles and stood ready for whoever this person may be.

As I slowly walked around Kaliyah, I found her standing above a terrified star-eyed skeleton, the frying pan in her hands and her eyes glowing bright green. 

“K-Kaliyah, it’s me! Blue!” he said desperately. “You know, the one who used to act like Sans but now acts like Papyrus? We talked on the couch with cocoa the day we met after you called me out on being depressed!”

I looked at the starry-eyed skeleton with one eyebrow raised and something inside my soul told me to put away my weapons and try to get Kali to calm down. I grabbed her by the shoulders and made her look me in the eyes and I started to recite my mantra for staying calm to her out loud. "Kali, repeat after me, then breathe. It's going to be okay. Everything will be okay."

“It’s going to be okay,” she mumbled as if she was in a trance, though the green glow in her eyes dimmed a little as she spoke. “Everything will be… okay…” She shook her head and blinked the green away, the frying pan disappearing. “What… What happened? I thought you were on lookout duty.”

"I was until I heard you scream."

“That was actually me,” Blue confessed. “I spooked her and her magic kicked in. I wasn’t ready for that.”

I couldn't help the snort that came out of my mouth as I held a hand out for him to grab so that he could get up. "Are you alright little star child?"

“U-um, yes?” he said, confused as he took her hand. “My name is Blue, short for Blueberry. I came looking for Kaliyah.”

“How did you even find me?” Kaliyah asked. 

“You ask about our old stuff and then run off with your pal and expect me not to realize where you’re going?” Blue asked. “I may act like Pap, but I’m not stupid. I have a little Sans still in me.”

I smile at his concern for Kali and I bend down on one knee and have him look me in the eyes. "Blue, I appreciate your concern for Kali but I think you already know the answer to our situation right now. But I need you to do me a HUGE favor."

“What do you mean?” he asked. “And what’s the favor?” 

"Well…" I look to Kali and look back to him and without me noticing, my eyes started glowing pink, making both of them stare. "I need you to keep this a secret from your family until after Christmas, because we're trying to give them a VERY special day and we can't do that if you ruin the surprise, okay?"

Blue nodded. “Okay. What have you found?” 

“I found both books, the case, and some of Fell’s records,” Kaliyah said. “Unfortunately, a lot of this stuff is unsalvageable so we’re going to have to go find replacements for them. Why don’t we go start with a guitar for Stretch?”

My eyes faded back to their original colors but even in the darkness my eyes still seemed to glow two different colors. "Sounds like a plan to me."

“That’s a great idea!” Blue said. “Come on, Kali!” Once they were a few yards ahead of me, he asked her, “Are all your friends mages?”

“I don’t think so,” she replied, “but then again, how would I know? I can’t seem to remember magic exists half the time.”

I tilted my head in confusion as to what they're saying. But I said nothing. Mainly because I felt the stiff tension in the air and I didn't want to add more confusion and panic to the situation. So I just kept my mouth shut, like I always do.

Once we got back to the car, Blue sat in the row behind us, eyeing the back seat nervously, like it was going to try to eat him or something. 

I looked behind me and asked if he was okay or if he got hurt while inside the house. Mainly after Kali went A-Wall on him. He didn't say much, just that he was okay and wasn't hurt. I shot a look towards Kali and she nodded to me. "Hey Blue?" she started. "We're going to the mall to get replacements for the gifts. How about when we pull into the parking lot, you can stay in here and just chill out while we shop, okay? You can take a nap and if the phone rings you can answer it and tell the guys that we're safe and that you're with us. Okay?"

"O-okay…" Blue agreed.

To me and Kali, he still seemed shaky so I pulled out my phone, that had a full charge, and tapped to one of my apps that has calming noises, music, and stories that he could listen to. I handed the phone to him and told him that he could use it until we get back with shopping to calm his nerves. 

Once Kaliyah and I got into the mall, I asked her why he was so jumpy. 

“That back seat was where I saved his life,” Kaliyah explained. “Right after he was nearly beaten to death by those boys. It’s not something he likes to remember.”

I froze. "Oh man, that must be hard! Glad I gave him my phone then. Even better that I put my phone on silent so my parents don't find out where I am. THAT would've been a mess to handle. So which store are we going to first? FYI, the owners of both the music store and clothing store owe me a personal favor, so we can possibly get some discounts on what we need." 

“All I need is a giant teddy bear, a blue parka in Blue’s size, a guitar, a record player, and a prank kit extra-large for Sans. Guy’s only moody cuz he’s stuck in a wheelchair with that broken leg of his,” Kaliyah told her. 

"Pfft, let me guess, first time dealing with this? And we can get half this stuff at the music store."

“Yep,” Kaliyah agreed as she started off towards the music store. “Poor guy is lazy, but that’s a conscious choice, I think. That wheelchair is a prison to him, and he hates it.” 

I shot her a look and said, "Really? After all the crud he said about you? Are you going soft on me?" I teased.

“I’m the one who stuck him in that wheelchair,” she explained. “Doctor’s orders. And Papyrus keeps him to it, which probably doesn’t help.” 

I just shook my head, "Honey, that's just karma in her sick twisted ways~ Anyways we're here." I was looking for the manager when I spotted something much better, the owner of the store. "Hey, Eddie! Yo! I need a favor from ya!" 

He turned to me with a look that said _shoot!_

I smirked and looked to Kali who returned the look with a grin of her own.

“Is there a reason the owner is scared of you?” she asked. “What did you do?” 

I smirked a devious smile. "That my dear Kali is a story for another time~ and don't be too surprised that we get the same reaction from the other store owner as well~." I silently chuckle a _mwahahaha_ to myself, although I think Kali heard it. I thought the store owner might have heard it too. Good.

Eddie reluctantly walked over to us, "What can I help you with, young lady and Rose?" 

I stare at him with a look that said, _Really? You_ **_want_ ** _to pull that card? Fully knowing what I can do?_ and he immediately started to clam up. 

Kali gave us both looks. She was definitely taking notes that she would no doubt ask later. 

I nudged her to tell the man what we needed.

“I need a guitar, a record player, and maybe a few heavy metal records if you have them,” she told him. 

He looked unamused as if he saw a cockroach skittering across the floor. 

I shot him a deadly glare and that instantly brought him back to his _senses_. 

"Right over here on this shelf, we have a few record players on display and close to the shelf are a few rows of records. Once you're done picking them out, I can then direct you to our guitars."

“And I’m willing to pay if Rose wants to keep her favor,” Kaliyah added, hoping that the allure of money would get him to help her.

He seemed to perk up for a bit, but I still shot a glare that said, _Don't push your luck, buddy._

He gulped then replied, "How about I just give you girls discounts and we can say that the _favor_ is half repaid."

“Oh, you don’t have to do that, Mr. Eddie,” Kaliyah insisted. “I’m willing to pay full price. After all, I am keeping your store open after hours, I imagine. And besides, with all the work you do, you deserve a bonus. It’s Christmas Eve. What Lionheart would I be if I wasn’t kind to those who helped me, especially on Christmas Eve.”

I rolled my eyes seeing as how she wouldn't let up on the matter. I had to remind myself to get rid of the receipts when it was time to wrap them up. Don't want the monsters finding out how much she paid for this. Monsters on BOTH our ends. The other monsters being my parents… they were always stingy with money and owing people favors. Kinda ironic how I'm one of those people who has other people owe favors too. Heh! I then give a look to Eddie that said, _Go on, I'll bug you later about the favor._

He took that chance, the little greedy devil, and showed us where the records were. And slowly disappeared in the shadows to let us decide our fate.

After Kaliyah had chosen a few records to go with the new record player, she asked Eddie kindly where the guitars might be, being the utmost polite she could be.

I slipped in, of course, a gift for Fell when she wasn't looking. I planned on chipping in to pay for it when we were going to get ringed up, but knowing her she'd pay for it as well. Oh well, just got to be faster than her in the wallet draw. The record was a classic KISS record. Figured he never heard the classics of hard rock before. I wondered what his reaction would be… I thought about it for a minute trying to imagine how a skeleton could be surprised with a stiff face and without skin. Heh! I couldn't wait! I couldn't help the playful and happy grin that spread across my face. I tried to hide it, but I think Kali noticed.

“What are you smiling about?” Kali asked playfully as Eddie showed us where the guitars were. 

I couldn't help the small blush that came across my face and said, "Oh, nothing!" I tried to keep it cool but I knew Kali wasn't going to let up about this. I knew that I was going to be questioned nonstop later. I stressed that the thought about that moment thinking about it. 

As Eddie was showing us the guitars, I couldn't help but notice the one in the corner by its lonesome. I looked hard at it. And I noticed the CUTEST thing engraved on it. It was a small but detailed engraving of a bumblebee. I showed this to Kali not knowing what I stirred up.

Kaliyah noticed where I was looking and her eyes lit up. “It’ll be perfect!” she gushed. “Stretch loves honey, even has a bottle that he stole from the kitchen in his room. And Blue says that he had a lucky bumblebee pick too! Please tell me that one is for sale, Mr. Eddie!” 

Eddie casually glanced over to the guitar. He gave a weak laugh but brought it out for us to look closer. "Funny thing about this one. I was about to get rid of it. It was donated to me over six months ago. I thought that with such a cute design, I thought it would sell immediately. Especially since this guitar is a well-kept vintage. Hard to come by these days you know. But, no. It just sat there seeming as though it was _waiting_ for the right person to be its next owner. I feel silly just saying that out loud. I kind of sound like my grandfather when I say that. He was a bit eccentric but a good man nonetheless. Do you want it? Then I can give it you half the cost then. Seeing as how it's just been collecting dust on my shelf." 

“Really?” Kaliyah asked excitedly. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Eddie!” She wrapped her arms around him in a grateful hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

He looked a little surprised at this. "Yeah, yeah, let me ring ya girls up and you can be on your way while I lock up for the night." He brought us to the cash register and I remembered very quickly to whip out my wallet and bring out the required amount for the record for Fell before Kali could ask questions. I slid the money in without her noticing that when she brought up her own money. I made sure to distract her while I slipped it in by tapping her opposite shoulder causing her to look away for a brief second. I patted myself on the back for the brilliant work. At least, I HOPED she didn't notice.

Kaliyah paid for her things, thanked Mr. Eddie once again, and then headed off to the toy store for the giant teddy bear and the prank kit. “Mr. Eddie was so nice,” she said. 

"Sometimes he is. Other times he's a bit of a con man. The only reason he didn't do that to us is that I was there to be sure he didn't do anything." I looked around for our next stop. The clothing department, that one was going to be a handful. "Found it yet?" 

I looked to Kali scanning the shelves for the prank kit. I also slightly mentioned that we couldn't buy a human-sized teddy bear. She asked why and I simply said that it would be near to impossible to hide from the boys.

“But he needs one!” she protested. “Edge is such a sweetheart, so he deserves something as soft and huggable as he is.” 

I simply laughed and asked her, "Then how do you intend on hiding it then~?"

“Isn’t that what giant vans are for?” she giggled. “I’ll just keep the stuff in the car until they fall asleep, then get it out and wrap it. Except for the guitar. Cold can ruin instruments if left out in it too long.” 

I suggested the idea of putting the guitar in the case so that way she can wrap it all up in one go, and she agreed.

That was when she found the gigantic black teddy bear with the eye patch and the hook for a hand. “It’s perfect,” she decided. “He’ll love it. And I already found the prank kit, so we can head onto the next store.”

After paying for these purchases, she headed into the clothing store and went straight for the winter clothing. We looked around for the winter parka she wanted, but so far, we had no luck. 

But that's when I spotted the owner of the store who also owed me a favor. "Vallery!!!" 

She was folding pants and putting it on a shelf when she heard my voice and immediately froze in place. I could have sworn I heard her shakily chant to herself, "If I don't move and ignore her, she won't find and see me. Act normal!" She seemed to repeat this like a mantra or demon expelling chant to see whether it'll ACTUALLY work.

“Um… Miss Vallery?” Kaliyah asked. 

She muttered under her breath, "Oh great! And she's got backup now too!" I thought she was beginning to cry. Always the drama queen. I think.

“I just need help finding something. You see, my friend needs a new winter coat, and his favorite color is blue. Do you have any blue parkas with fur lining the hood? I want to get it for him for Christmas,” she said politely.

She finally sighed in defeat and turned towards us. She then asked her what type of blue she preferred. She led us to the back of the store where there was a variety of blue furry parkas. 

I looked to Kali to see whether she knew what she was doing.

She looked around and found one that she seemed to like. “Thank you, Miss Vallery. I think I found the one I want. I’m glad you were able to help me today. You are a wonderful person to do this on Christmas Eve.” 

"I'll ring you up at the front," she tiredly said.

As I looked at the blue parka, I noticed how much of a pain it was going to be to hide this from Blue who was chilling out in the van. At least, I hope he was. I really didn't want a panic-stricken skeleton while we were driving down the dark road. It was at that moment a thought occurred to me. "Kali, call my number and ask Blue if he's alright."

After paying for the parka and wishing the store owner a merry Christmas, Kaliyah had already begun heading back to the car. “Uh, sure thing.” She pulled out her phone and dialed my number. “Blue?”

 _“Yeah?”_ he asked. _“What is it?”_

“Are you okay?” 

Even over the phone, we both seemed to notice that he flinched at the question.

 _“I’m fine. The music is making it easier not to remember that night,”_ he told us. _“Even so, I’m glad I didn’t sit in the back seat. Not only did I nearly die back there, but you passed out and then screamed at me the next morning because you thought I should be dead.”_

Kaliyah winced. “Yeah… Sorry about that. I wasn’t expecting a skeleton to be in my face when I woke up.” 

_“Are you guys done shopping yet? I want to go home…”_

Kaliyah’s face smiled. “Yeah, we can go home now, Blue.” 

I couldn't help but notice that Kali lit up when he said _home_. I thanked Heavenly Father quietly for finally giving her a reason to be happy again. "Hey Blue, were there any calls on my phone while we were shopping?"

 _“Nope. None that I remember. But I was listening to music the whole time, so I wouldn’t know. Your phones are weird. Nothing like our phones. Those I know how to use. This is so finicky, half the time, it doesn’t do what I want it to do! And I don’t know how to turn it on! Says something about a fingerprint. How the heck am I supposed to do anything with a_ **_FINGERPRINT_** _?!?!”_

Kaliyah laughed. “I’ll show ya in the car.” 

I just snorted quietly as to not offend him.

 _“I don’t_ **_have_ ** _a fingerprint. I don’t even have skin! What the heck am I supposed to do?!”_ he continued. 

I chuckled as he ranted on about the phone. I whispered into Kali's ear, saying that this was just like my grandpa when he tried getting a new phone.

“Don’t tell him,” Kaliyah whispered back. “He might be made of bones, but he’s not ancient. In fact, he acts like a kid, though I think he’s our age. Probably. It’s just his personality.” She cleared her throat and spoke up. “We’re coming out, Blue, and we can show you the mysteries of smartphones.”

 _“So it’s a_ **_smartphone_ **_now, huh? If it’s so smart, then why won’t it do what I tell it to?!”_

I laughed. I could already tell that tomorrow was going to be the best Christmas ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!!! My name is HeavenSent003, but you can call me Double-O-3. LOL! Or something along those lines. **(I call her Heaven. ^^D - Shards)** As you've noticed, I'm the new co-creator working with Shards. Both she and I have been steadily and progressively been knocking out chapters one by one each day. The only thing to do now is to publish them on AO3. 
> 
> So basically in this chapter, we introduce a new character that I'm proud to introduce as Rosalinda Thornwood. She is my beautiful brainchild and I'm so excited to see her appearance in this story~! And I hope you all love her as much as I do as well! She'll be featured a little more as we keep going, so keep an eye on her!
> 
> Anyways I hope you all love the story and its new developments. 
> 
> And, in case you're wondering, I also do stories as well, just not on AO3. I have Tumblr, Wattpad, and DeviantArt. On Tumblr it's blueangelicrose@tumblr.com, or search Joanna Caughell on the Wattpad Search bar, and on DeviantArt it's AvengingAngel321. 
> 
> But anything other than that, I hope to see your comments and hopefully subscriptions and Kudos. **(We love answering any questions people have about our story!! Just put them in the comment section and you can usually expect an answer within twenty-four hours! - Shards)**
> 
> HEAVENSENT OUT!!! PEACE!!!


	8. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys get home and start preparing for Christmas, only to find there are secrets to be shared...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Sorry we're late. We'll try to publish every Friday from now on. But... here we are with a new chapter! _And_ some romance just in time for Valentine's Day next Friday! Whoop whoop! 
> 
> **Fell:** _*blushing furiously* **SHARDS!!!!**_  
>  **Rose:** You're spoiling things, Shards! Be quiet and let them read it!
> 
> Oops! Sorry, Fell and Rose! I'll be quiet!  
> Hope you enjoy.

**Kaliyah's POV**

“We’re home, Blue,” I announced as we pulled into the driveway. 

Blue smiled. “Finally. Is Rosie coming in too?” 

“Later. When I have to get the presents in. She’s going to help me get them ready for Christmas.” I looked over at her. “You can spend the night if you’d like. I’d just have to take you home to grab some of your things, but then the guestroom is all yours.” 

"Hmm, I guess so. I would be spending Christmas alone anyways since my folks went up North to spend it at my older brother's place. The only question now is, how are the introductions going to go? I'm a little nervous."

“It’ll be fine. I just have to establish that you are definitely _not_ an assassin for them to kill. I mean, Sans checked my painkillers for poison, my first aid kit for murder weapons, and I don’t even know what he was looking for in the kitchen! Ninjas? Assassins? Ninja assassins? And that was just the night that I took him into the house! Hands down, Sans is the least trusting of the bunch,” I told her. 

“Actually, it’s Fell,” Blue corrected me, “but you already gained his trust by saving his life, which is why he’s not being a complete jerk to you.” 

Rose looked at him with a brow raised. "Really? Because over the phone he sounded concerned and really sweet."

“As I said, he trusts Kali. He cares about her. We all do. I mean, wouldn’t you want to make sure that the person so saved your life was safe? We can just be a _little_ overbearing at times.”

“A little?” I asked. “You practically stalked me.” 

“I apologized,” Blue grumbled. “And besides, we’d all feel better if you took at least one of us with you every time you left the house.” 

Rose couldn't help but give her a sly grin that said, "You got your own skeleton security guard group."

“But they’re guarding a dragon, who can take care of herself,” I laughed. 

“Can we go inside now? It’s cold,” Blue said. 

"Sure thing! But Kali? I'm staying behind you just in case before they see me. I mean, if humans can flip out when they see me, no doubt monsters will too." Rose had a solemn look on her face that just read the future uncomfortable vibes.

“Oh, don’t be so paranoid,” I told her as I turned off the car. “It’ll be fine. And who’s flipped out? I didn’t flip out. Blue didn’t flip out.” 

“Was I supposed to?” Blue asked, confused.

Rose couldn't help but laugh at Blue's question.

“Now, let’s go inside, and see what chaos unfolded while I was gone,” I said as I started up the path. 

I opened the door to find Fell running toward me. “Fell?” 

“HELP ME!!! THEY’RE TRYING TO KILL ME!!!” he yelled as he hid behind me, shaking.

Rose got so surprised that she hid in the safety of the bushes.

“Why are they trying to kill you?” I asked. “And who is trying to kill you?” 

“Everyone! Blue disappeared and they think I killed him because I found a blue bandanna!” Fell told her. 

“WHERE ARE YOU, YOU LITTLE MURDERING PIECE OF—Hey, Kaliyah,” Stretch said, hiding the knife he was holding behind his back. 

“Stretch,” I growled. “Give me the knife.” 

Stretch sighed and gave her the knife. “He killed my brother, and I claim the right to justice.” 

“Rosie? I’m gonna need some backup here! And bring Blue. You can both stop hiding in the bush,” I said.

Rose slowly peeked her head just an inch above the bushes and noticed that Blue was hiding with her. She nudged him to go first since he was less likely to get killed on the spot. He reluctantly agreed only for her to go next. She agreed but only if she could go slowly.

Once he came through the door, Blue poked around me and said, “Hi.” 

“Blue!” Stretch cried, wrapping his arms around his older brother. 

“What is going on here?” Blue asked. “Why are you trying to kill Fell?” 

“We, um, thought he killed you,” Stretch said sheepishly. 

“Why?!” 

“Because you disappeared. And no one could find you,” Sans said as he wheeled into the entryway.

“I TOLD YOU THAT FELL DIDN’T KILL HIM!!!” Edge protested, taking the knife from Sans. 

Rose couldn't help the smile that was forming on her face at the thought that all of this was JUST like an episode of The Three Stooges and silently giggled into her hand.

“Who is that?” Sans asked, immediately going on the defensive when he saw Rose. 

Rose stood up slowly from the bushes. She was still under the cover of darkness so they couldn't get a good look at her. And it didn't help when she didn't say anything as well.

“This is my good friend Rosalinda Thornwood, and she is _not_ an assassin for you to kill. Got it?” I told them. 

They all nodded, some of them more grudgingly than others. Even Fell, who she had labeled as a sweetheart, glared at Rose menacingly, as if challenging her to even DARE hurt anyone.

“Now, you are ALL going to your rooms,” I said, upset. 

“But, Kali—” Fell protested.

 _“Now,”_ I said definitively, pointing to the stairs. “I don’t want to see you until tomorrow morning. Got it?” 

They nodded sadly and headed toward the stairs, Sans giving me one more suspicious glance before teleporting up to his room. Blue seemed to be the only one happy to be heading to his room. 

Once I was sure they were all gone, I sighed in relief. “That should keep them out of our way for the rest of the night. Now, let’s go get your stuff from your house, and then we can start getting ready for Christmas. I think I still owe you some stories about magic and monsters.” 

Rose was immediately interested again when she heard that. "Yeah, you owe me one on the way back to my place! By the way, I don't think your friends saw me very well. Because usually, I get more odd looks than hostility than anything else."

“Yeah, you were kinda hiding in the bushes, Rosebud,” I laughed. “Now, let’s go get your stuff, and you can ask me any questions you want about magic and monsters.”

On the way to her house, she asked me a ton of questions like, "What sort of species are the skeleton monsters?" and "If they're skeletons, then how do they eat and keep the food in them?" I could barely keep up with her.

“I have no idea, and I have no idea,” I told her in reply. 

"Hmmm," she mused. 

I could practically hear the gears turning in her head as to her sorting out the millions of questions in her mind. She suddenly got an idea and smiled that mischievous smile at me and I only briefly noticed that mischievous glint in her eyes before focusing back on the road, which made me ask her, "What is it?”

She smirked wider. "Well… Have the boys ever celebrated Day of the Dead?" she asked with a snicker. 

I thought about that. “I’ve… I’ve never asked, actually,” I admitted. “Why?”

"Imagine it. All their skulls painted in _crazy_ colors and designs and dressed in Mariachi band clothes singing the Happy Cockroach Song!"

I laughed. “Yeah, I don’t think I could get some of them to do that. I bet Blue and Paps would be up for it though. Probably only Paps though.”

"Well, you'd be surprised what you can convince even the most stubborn man to do what you want with a little _persuasion_." She gave a slow maniacal laugh.

I shook my head with a smile. “You are not going to be very popular with Sans and Stretch, I can already tell,” I told her as I pulled into her driveway. “Now, go get your stuff so we can head back and get these presents inside.”

She went inside and packed various clothes that ranged from PJs to comfy wear. She also got her other necessities like a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, and most importantly, her depression medication. Afterward, she bolted out the door and locked it behind her and jumped in the van. 

"Let's roll, baby!" she said this as she posed dramatically pointing to the night sky with her other hand on her hip.

I laughed. “I don’t even know what the guys are going to think of you. Now close the door before we both get pneumonia!”

"Kay kay!" She closed the van door and they started up the van and started down the road. Rose stared up into the night sky, enchanted by the beautiful white glittering dots in the black-blueish velvet above her, and sighed.

I smiled. “You know, some people say that the stars are windows to heaven and that the angels look down on us through them,” I said as I headed back toward the house.

She didn't seem to hear me but gave an affirmative nod while she held her chin in her hand and leaned against the car window. Rose was always fascinated with the stars and the heavens, something we had in common, so I decided to leave her be as I drove us back to my home until we pulled into the driveway.

“Rose,” I said gently as I placed a hand on her shoulder to rouse her from her mystified trance. “We’re here.”

"Oh!" She said, quickly getting out of the van and going into the back of the van to get the gifts.

I chuckled and shook my head before getting out and helping her bring the presents inside. Once they were all in the house, I grabbed the few other things that I had already planned to give the boys before talking to Blue and learning more about them; an apron and oven mitts for Paps, and a photo of the six that I found when doing the laundry.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Rose bring in something as well. Probably a gift for Fell. I already knew from the get-go that she had a crush on him from the first time hearing his voice to actually seeing him running to me panicked. I chuckled to myself quietly so that she wouldn't hear me. Rose WAS always bad at hiding things she liked ever since we were small.

As we started wrapping things, I said, “You never asked how I met the boys.”

"Hmmm, well from what I can guess is that after the incident with the college dorks, is that somehow you managed to find one of them, fixed them up, and proceeded to try and find all of them and fix them up as well. Knowing you, Kali." She said this all in a knowing smirk. She was always good at reading right through me and predicting my every move. A rare trait for a human if you ask me.

“Sans and Papyrus actually collapsed on the sidewalk in front of my house,” I said, “and I nearly left them out there.” 

"But knowing _you_ , Kali, you're too kind-hearted to leave a nearly dying person on the road."

“Actually, it wasn’t just that,” I admitted. “You see… Did I ever tell you about what happened to my family?”

"Yeah, you did. You might not remember it, but you were crying hysterically to me one night at a sleepover. I was barely able to calm you down. You managed to open up to me about your family and what happened with your sister. I'm guessing they have a part to play in what she said?"

“Something like that. I actually went out there because Papyrus had a broken arm, and then the day after, Calypso talked to me.”

"That witch?! The one responsible for the whole ordeal?!"

“Yeah. She practically invaded my mind as I blacked out while I was talking to Blue. I thought it was another flashback until she started talking, and the things she said… They were strange.”

"From your description of that _woman_ , strange wouldn't be far from my mind at what she can do."

“The things she said… They were insane! It was almost as if she lost her mind…”

Rose saw my discomfort just by mentioning that woman and decided to change the subject while we wrapped up the presents. "Sooooooo, from the amount of time you spent with the boys, do you know what each of their personalities is like?"

“Stretch, Sans, and Fell act pretty alike. They’re not very trusting and have questioned my motives several times, though Stretch has become almost a bodyguard to me after I saved his brother’s life from death, and I saved Fell’s life and helped his brother which made him friendly with me, but Sans... he practically hates me. Paps is a sweetheart, and Edge is like Paps with a bit of a murderous streak, though once you get him to open up he’s as sweet as Pap. And Blue… Blue is… _complicated_.”

"I can tell…" Rose said with a worried tone in her voice.

“You want to learn more about him? You have to see through the lines to get him to open up first. I’ll let you talk to him. I’m not going to tell secrets that aren’t mine,” I said as I wrapped the last present. I then looked up at the giant teddy bear and realized something. “How exactly are we supposed to wrap that?”

Rose looked at me with an idea forming in her head and then a smirk formed and I heard a chuckle come from her. "How about we don't? We put it behind the tree acting like the bear is trying to play hide and seek but is failing miserably because of how huge he is? It'll totally be cute! By the way… I was wondering if you know a little more about…" She whispered the last part of the sentence so I didn't catch it. 

“What was that?” I asked.

"I said, do you know anything about…" She turned away from me, hiding her face, but I could still see how red her ears were. "Fell."

“Fell is actually very soft-spoken once you get to know him,” I began, not wanting to embarrass her. “I think he does whatever his brother tells him to, as he’s called Edge _Boss_ before.”

"Hmm…” Rose started to get a sad solemn look on her face. I wondered what was wrong.

“By what I’ve seen, they try to make it look like they don’t care for each other, even though they’d give the world to protect each other. I think it has something to do with where they came from, wherever that may be.”

I stared at her for a second as she bit her bottom lip and then hugged herself. I had to ask what was wrong.

“What is it, Rose? What’s troubling you?”

She slowly looked up at me with teary eyes. "Can I tell you a secret?"

“Sure. What is it?” I asked, concerned.

"Well, I've kinda met Fell before. Hence the keyword in _kinda_."

“You… have? When?!” I asked, surprised.

"Well… it started when the monsters first got out. I wanted to be the first one to greet them. But thanks to my stubborn parents and the fickle society we live in right now, I was prevented from doing that.

"One night, I was doing some late-night grocery shopping, when I heard somebody call out to me. I turned around to see a skeleton dressed in red, drunk as can be I might add, trying to flirt with me. At first, I didn't really know what to do. Scream and run after slapping him or just laugh at his terrible attempts at trying to flirt with me with cheesy pickup lines that were disguised as puns. But instead, I just froze there, not saying a word and probably looking like an idiot. But, regardless, I laughed at some of those cheesy puns. He seemed to notice this and tried his next move in putting his arm over me and trying to get "friendly". I STILL wasn't sure what to do in the situation. Normally if someone tried this, I would've just punched them in the gut and just sprint home. But since it was a monster, and a skeleton no less, I had no idea what to do. This was my first time that some stranger flirted with me! And again, by a monster! Normally, humans would've called the police because of utter disgust. But I actually liked it! And it wasn't the fact that he was a monster either! Mainly because of what was happening, I couldn't help but be flattered at what he said about me."

Rose took a moment then continued. "But as I was thinking over my options he suddenly passed out sleeping! Apparently whatever he drank finally took him to dreamland. I honestly didn't know what to do. If I took him home then my parents would flip out and if I took him to the police then who knows what would've happened to him! I ain't no fool! I know those prejudiced police would put him in a cell if they had the chance. But that's when I noticed that there was an Inn nearby. So I managed to drag him there with the strength I had and pulled him to the entrance. I talked to the lady upfront about his situation and she was about to refuse my request, but then I remembered that I knew the owner of this particular Inn. He was one of the church members in our congregation. I asked for him and once I told him about the situation, he made an exception for old time's sake for when I helped him out at his house on the weekends. I brought the skeleton in and managed to drag him to one of the first floor rooms and onto the bed. As I covered him up, I noticed the gold tooth or fang that he had. I thought it was really cool, but I also noticed something else. I had this tingling sensation inside my chest that told me that he might look tough but is actually very sweet. Just like me…"

She took another moment and proceeded. "I dug out some painkillers and a water bottle that I had bought along with the food groceries and placed them on the nightstand. I wrote a note saying that to take these if he had a hangover when he woke up and _tibia_ careful next time. I wrote all this with my fancy girly handwriting with a little heart at the end. I prayed to God that it wasn't me being weird or anything. Once I paid for his room, I left the place, but I didn't expect to see him again so soon. Ya see, a few nights later when I was walking home I was about to turn the corner down the street to where the Inn was until I looked across the street. I saw him in the park sitting on a bench, taking a nap or something. I thought that it just happened to be a coincidence. But the same thing happened over and over again every week I came home from doing something. I wondered why he was doing this until I managed to get to the Inn and asked the owner why he was doing that. He merely glanced at me then at the skeleton across the street and I think he smirked? He told me that he explained the situation to the skeleton last night but didn't give my name or what I looked like in detail. He chuckled a bit and told me that the situation that I was in, was eerily similar to how he met his wife. He also apparently told the skeleton this and a piece of advice. _You don't find people THAT NICE every day. If I were you, pal, I would find the gal and make her my own. Heck, I did the same thing with my wife and here we are now, thirty years later, and still going strong._ You can say I was in complete shock." Rose slightly smiled at the memory.

"Ever since then I would secretly pass by the park and watch him till he went home. I cursed myself for not having the courage to just talk to him. Then I decided that the week after next, I would go up to him and ask him. But when I came, he wasn't there. I continued to wait for him for weeks on end but to no avail. You can say that I was disappointed and mad at myself for not acting sooner. I pretty much cried to myself for a while. And it wasn't until a few months till I managed to somewhat cope with myself that I heard that you came back in town! I was SO excited! I wanted to immediately catch up on all the things I wanted to do with you. That was until after I got out of school a few days ago…" Rose started to grimace and tear up again.

With a shaky voice she said, "When I was walking on my way home, I overheard the rumors about how a group of skeleton monsters were attacked by those jock jerks. I felt sick to my stomach and thought of that red-clad skeleton. I raced to where the attack happened. And it was right nearby the Inn, where I was first called by him. I started to cry again, hard. But I managed to pull myself up from my stupor and run into the Inn and ask the owner of he saw what happened. He said he didn't see it, but his numerous traffic cams did. I watched it play the whole scene. It was HORRIBLE, Kali! I couldn't bear it! I asked him if I could have a copy of the footage. He stared at me for a moment then shrugged his shoulders and did as I asked. It wasn't till I walked past the park that I noticed that one of the taller skeletons was holding something small. Then it got me that it was that other red-clad skeleton! I tried to catch up to him and even call him but I don't think he heard me because he just kept walking away. I was about to go over there and ask if he was all right, but then it dawned on me. What right did I have in asking if he was okay or not? I mean I was probably the ONLY human that helped him since he got here and I just upped and ditched him! Why?! Because I lacked the spine to go up and talk to him! Kali… now that he's here, what do I do?! Will he even remember what I did?! Would it be good that he did or, the total opposite?!" 

It was at that point where Rose was grabbing the top of her head in panic and worry. Tears wildly streamed down her face. "I mean, will he ever forgive me for that? Am I stupid to think I can fix it by giving him a simple present?! Will it look like I'm trying to bribe him?! Kali, I'm so scared. I don't know what to do…" She brought her legs up to her face and tightly hugging them.

I put my hands on her shoulders and made her look into my eyes. “Rose, you are one of the most wonderful people I know. Fell will forgive you. You just have to tell him. He’s a good guy who comes from a bad place. Any kindness given to him is one he treasures. Believe in who you are and who he is, and everything will be okay. Okay?”

Rose seemed enlightened about Kali's advice. Then a mischievous grin grew on her face. "You want to know what else I learned from when he was drunk?"

“Sure,” I said, wanting to keep my friend’s spirits up. Besides, I was curious. I didn’t know much about the boys.

She started quietly giggling. "When he was flirting with me, I tried my hand at flirting back at him the same way. And when he fully registered it, he turned red as a hot pepper and was literally a loss for words. Pfffffttttt… So basically, he can dish it out but can't handle it when it's served it to him. Hah! So cute!"

“He’s not used to people caring for him. He asked me why I helped them. Said, _you realize you’ve got a couple of murderers in your backseat, right?_ I told him that if I cared, he’d be out in the Utah winter and not in my car,” I laughed.

"I actually have a picture of him flustered on my phone. Wanna see~?"

“Totally,” I grinned.

She whipped out her phone as quick as lightning and scrolled to her favorites on her photos list. I then looked at a befuddled looking Fell pretty much what she described. Red as a tomato and at a total loss for words. Which made me wonder… What did she say to him to make him feel this way?

“I think I found a nickname for our friend,” I said. “Red would be so embarrassed if he found out we had this. What did you even say to him?” 

Her smile grew and she blushed and grew sheepish. "' _Well_ ,' I told him, ' _is your name sugar because I think you’re the sweetest thing I've seen_.'”

I burst out laughing. “That is the best thing I’ve ever heard,” I told her once I had control over my giggles.

She started to get even redder, to the point where she matched Fell in her picture.

When I had finally stopped laughing, I sighed happily. “You should get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow.” Then I thought of something. “Do you… live alone?”

That's when she got solemn. "No, my parents are still with me. For various reasons. One because I need housing for college and two is because of my medical issues."

“Right… Would you want to move out of your parents’ place and into mine? As a doctor in training, I could take care of your medical issues,” I pointed out.

She beamed, "Really? It wouldn't be too much with six other guests right now?"

“I wouldn’t offer if it was,” I smiled. 

She started tearing up again and bit her lip so that she wouldn't look like she was quivering. She jumped up and gave me a tight but gentle hug with tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I thought you would like that,” I said, glad she was happy. “Maybe we can get your stuff from your parents’ house after the Christmas celebrations are done.”

She pulled away and looked straight to my face with this mischievous goofy grin on her face. "Totally! And that's the perfect timing for telling my parents too! They'll totally flip out who I'm staying with for roommates!!!" She started to rub her hands together and began laughing mischievously.

“Now, get to bed. You need sleep,” I told her. “I’ll take care of the rest of the Christmas preparations. I promise I’ll be fine. Go to sleep. There are plenty of rooms where you can crash until we finalize things for everyone tomorrow.”

She smiled her award-winning smile at me and complied. She asked me where exactly she needed to stay so that way she didn't accidentally disturb my other guests, and I told her to take one of the bottom rooms. She immediately got her bags and went to turn in for the night.

As soon as I knew she was settled in, I smiled and headed toward the kitchen to start my baking. I could already that this was going to be my most interesting Christmas yet.

* * *

**Sans' POV**

_Welp..._

_I'm going to Grillby's..._

_Papyrus..._

_Do you... want anything...?_

I surged up in bed, breathing hard, before sighing and flopping down on the pillow again. I was sick of these nightmares. They were stupid. Frisk had promised me that there would be no more resets, and it had been almost a year since they had come to the surface. Why was I still worried about those Genocide Runs? Everyone was fine. Paps and I weren’t trapped in the Underground again, doomed to wake up repeating the same few days over and over again. I was in a bed in the mage Kaliyah’s house, nowhere near that prison we called home.

I eventually decided to get up and get some water to calm my nerves. I teleported into my wheelchair begrudgingly, knowing that Paps and Kaliyah would freak if I didn’t use it (and besides, it hurt like heck to try and walk on my broken leg), and then used a shortcut to get to the kitchen, where I found Kaliyah cooking while humming a happy tune. I froze, contemplating whether to teleport back to my room or to ask her what she's doing up so late at night when she turned around suddenly and noticed me in the doorway. 

“Oh!” Kaliyah said, startled, nearly dropping her bowl of batter. “Sans! I didn’t realize you were there. How long were you—”

“Watching?” I asked, finishing her sentence for her. 

She nodded.

“I just got down here,” I told her.

“Oh. Okay. So… what are you doing down here?”

I shrugged, deciding that the truth was the best policy here. Just because I didn’t trust her didn’t mean I needed to give her a reason not to trust me. That was a tad counterproductive if I didn’t say so myself. "Eh, thought I'd get some water. Didn't get a good amount of shut-eye if you know what I mean."

Kaliyah nodded her head, which led me to wonder if she had the same problem. I filed that bit of information away for later. "Would you like me to get it for you?" she asked.

“Uh… what are you doing in here?” I asked, noticing the multitude of sweets in-between snack foods, completely distracted from my original task.

“What? Oh! I couldn’t sleep. Dang nightmares again,” she explained, continuing to mix the bowl of batter in her arms. “So I decided to get all my baking done now before you guys woke up. I didn’t expect you to come down though.” 

Kaliyah had nightmares? I hadn’t thought of that. It sure explained why she was up at odd hours of the night lately. Perhaps it had something to do with her PTSD… Hold up.

“What is the baking for exactly?” I asked. 

“Tomorrow,” she said simply. “It is Christmas, after all. I thought I might as well make you all a feast. I hope it makes up for the last unpredictable magic incident. I didn’t mean to attack you guys. I honestly don’t know what came over me.”

Christmas was tomorrow? I had completely forgotten about the holiday with the loss of the house and the attack the other night. “Why would you do that for us?” I asked, suspicious that this was some sort of trick. “This seems a little excess just to be making up for the vines.”

She suddenly looked up at me with surprise and smiled gently. My soul tugged at me when she did that for reasons that I wished I would figure out sooner rather than later. “I’m doing it because you guys deserve a day devoted to happiness and family after all the things you’ve been through,” she said kindly. 

That surprised me. Why did she care? Why did she care if we were happy? If we were safe? It didn’t make any sense to me. It was the one thing I could never figure out, no matter how much I tried. 

"And besides," she continued, startling me out of my thoughts. "From the short time that I've known you guys… I already love you all. Bones and all." She gave me that loving smile while she closed her eyes as if she was softly laughing, though when I looked closely, her grin didn’t quite reach her eyes. There was a quiet sorrow there.

That tugging at my soul again… Why was it only when she was so genuine with her feelings and the fact that she said it all with the most powerful expressions? Especially with that sheepish, kind smile. She reminded me of Frisk, the sweet girl who I had found had no control over what she did to us and actually genuinely cared about our wellfare. I remembered the time Frisk was regiven control one Genocide route after she had been forced to kill me so that she would have to watch me dust. She held me in her arms and apologized over and over, tears streaking down her face... But it was obvious why she cared. She had to go through the same tortures we did. Kaliyah had no such experience, so why was she helping us?!

Unable to contain my frustration any longer, I burst out, “But _why_? _Why_ do you care? _Why_ do you want to help us? _Why_? No one else seems to give a crap about us except you and that crazy lady on the phone that was with you earlier, and I just don’t get it! You’re so honest like you have nothing to hide, and you wear your emotions on your sleeve like you don’t care who knows how you are feeling and it drives me nuts! You of all people should _hate_ us! Not only are you a mage, but you’re _Broken Bones_ , the cursed girl! The one who was found in a desecrated house with broken bones everywhere! If I were you, I would have dumped us on the street! Heck, I might have gone out and finished Paps and I off! It’s not like we would have been able to fight back! But no! You drag us in the house, bandage us up, and then hunt down the others like it was a typical Friday night or something! And I just don’t get it! Why are you like this? Why do you care? I have given you every reason to hate me and you still act like this! This… this… this perpetual happiness that no one can seem to get rid of no matter how hard they try! I gave you ample reason to kick me out the other day when I was rude but instead, you decided to just walk away and cool down and it drives me insane trying to figure out how you keep your cool! It’s like you’re _trying_ to send me up the wall! I just… I just… I don’t understand…” 

I was practically in hysterics, tears brimming up in my eye sockets. I looked up to find that my outburst had taken her by surprise, which was evident from the expression on her face. But as soon as that shocked expression seemed to be plastered there, it was immediately replaced by a lovely understanding expression.

“So…” she began in a quiet, thoughtful tone. “You’re like Blue… I see…” 

I stared at her. “What?”

She looked up at me again after putting down her mixing bowl. “I now see how Blue was once like you. You two are very similar, though he has learned to be a little more optimistic over the years. You never found such help. I wonder if Fell and Stretch are like this too.” 

_I wonder if Fell and Stretch are like this too…_ What did she mean? Had she been talking to the others without my knowing? 

Noticing my probably perplexed expression, Kaliyah picked up her bowl again and started mixing as she spoke. “You know, I notice a lot more about you guys than you think. I know that Edge and Fell only pretend not to care about each other so that no one tries to use the other as a weapon against the brother. I know that Stretch is extremely protective of his brother, Blue, but is currently fighting his addictions to alcohol and smoking as he knows that it puts Blue in danger. Blue is more aware of what is going on than he lets on, and Edge is hiding a softer side under that temper, afraid that if he shows it he’ll be thought of as weak. And then there’s you, the lazy, pun-loving skeleton who supposedly hates my guts. You are an interesting one.”

 _Interesting_? What did she mean by _that_?! The more I thought about it the more my soul raced. Why was this bugging me so much?!

“What is that supposed to mean?” I snapped. 

“You use humor and laziness to hide your depression,” she began. “Don’t even deny it. You gave up on something a long time ago and it affected your psyche. I highly doubt that you were always like this. And you’re smarter than you let on too. Your analytical skills are impeccable! I wouldn’t be surprised if you were actually a scientist or doctor yourself! But you have decided that you don’t want that. And I have a feeling it has something to do with these resets I’ve been hearing about. I know at least two of you are terrified of them, and I’d give a gander at another two based on what evidence I’ve gathered.”

I literally had no words to say in this situation. And I'm pretty sure my blank eye sockets said it all. How much did she know?

She chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes. From what I’ve gathered, the depression is the reason your soul is cracked, is it not? And that’s why you and Stretch and Fell only have one HP?”

I was still speechless. Normally I would snap back or even threaten someone if they knew so much about me. But when I looked into her kind green eyes, I couldn't help all the bottled up emotions that I had been trying to hide start to show itself little by little. But I had to remain strong, for Paps' sake. But the tingly sensation in my soul was still there and it wouldn't leave me alone! 

“I might not be trained as a psychiatrist, but do you want to talk about it?” she asked kindly.

I turned my head and wiped whatever tears were forming in my sockets on my jacket's sleeve. "No, I just want some water. Can you give me some?" I didn't dare look up at her. I didn't know whether it was my pride as a male or the fact that she was making my soul feel strange that I wouldn't, no, shouldn't cry in front of her. And I planned on keeping it that way.

She handed me the glass of water and as I was about to teleport back to my room, she spoke. “I believe you asked me a question, but I never gave you an answer.” 

I froze, waiting for her to continue. I didn’t know why, but I desperately needed this answer. Maybe it would be the final piece to my puzzle. 

“You asked why I care,” she went on, her voice softer than normal. “You see… I care because I like to see people happy, Sans. It’s why I decided to become a doctor. So that I could help make others happy even if I wasn’t.”

For some reason, I felt disappointed with her answer? The tugging on my soul only increased but I smiled, "Heh, yeah, that explains a lot actually. Well, thanks for the water." As I turned around to teleport, I noticed that tiny looking plant that was hanging on the doorway. I was about to ask what it was until I remember what Alphys told me about human customs during the holidays. I couldn't help the slight shade of blue that went across my cheekbones. _Dang it!_ I thought to myself. And quickly teleported to my room. Hopefully, she didn't see that.

As I slowly settled back down into bed, I thought of what she had said and how much she seemed to know about us. It was unsettling to think about, but strangely calming to know that she cared about us even after knowing everything about us, all our faults and broken pieces. Right before I fell back asleep, I realized that I didn’t mind staying here with her, and I chuckled at how different I was feeling. 

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! This is HeavenSent003 coming to you _live_... Just kidding XD.  
> I hope you all enjoyed reading this story so far and this chapter. Especially the part where Rose flirts with a drunk Fell Sans XD!  
> Fell can indeed dish it out when it comes to him flirting but he most certainly CANNOT take it when it's being served to him.
> 
> And don't worry about future chapters there's already more in the works. That I can assure you!  
> So until next time my little gifts from above! _(Get it? **;)** )_ Stay beautiful and true to yourself!


	9. Oh, Christmas Day, Oh, Christmas Day, Why Are You So Surprising?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! Heaven here~. And I'm here to tell you that in this chapter the Skeleton family will be having their first Christmas at Kali's place!!! There will be romance, heartache, and FLUFF!!! Bring on the FLUFF!!! And most importantly Kali's DELICIOUS food! Hope you LOVE the chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey~ Heaven here~  
> Both me and SDF wish you a Happy belated Christmas~!!! I mostly explained the chapter in the summary, but what I didn't mention is that both Fell and my brain child, Rose, will be officially getting closer in their elusive relationship. Hope you like romance~!!!

#  **The Skeletons’ POV’s**

Papyrus woke up at about six in the morning like he usually did and got himself ready. He smiled at his new room, his only regret being that the bed wasn’t a red racecar bed, though the orange triceratops frame was pretty endearing, once he actually thought about it. He liked it. 

As he went down the stairs to see if anyone else was up, he was surprised by a large tree covered in strings of lights. What was going on here? 

He followed his non-existent nose to the kitchen to find hundreds of delicious baked goods everywhere. Puzzled, he looked around for Kaliyah only to find she wasn’t in the room. He was about to go look for her when he read the magnet plastered to the fridge door:

 _Merry Christmas!_

Realizing what was going on and what he had forgotten, the boisterous skeleton rushed back up the stairs to wake up the others. It was Christmas! He couldn’t believe he had forgotten the holiday!

“WAKE UP! WAKE UP!!” he cried as he slammed open doors and yanked blankets off beds. “IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!” 

“Vanilla,” Fell grumbled as he pulled his pillow on his head to block out the noise, “we’re trying to _sleep_!!!” 

“BUT YOU CAN’T SLEEP!!! IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!!” Papyrus objected. "AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT'S IN THE KITCHEN AND LIVING ROOM!"

“It’s… what?” Blue mumbled, still half-asleep. “Christmas… Oh.” As the word registered in his brain, he surged out of bed. “Oh! IT’S CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! GET UP GET UP GET UP **GET UP**!!!!!” 

“What’s the point?” Stretch asked. “It’s not like we have anything planned. Can’t we sleep a little longer?” 

“No, you cannot, brother!” Blue ordered, yanking the blanket off his brother’s bed. “You are going to go downstairs and celebrate with us!” 

Stretch groaned and slowly sat up out of bed scratching the back of his skull.

"And you never know dear brother," Blue said playfully. "There might actually be a surprise waiting for you."

“What do we even have to celebrate?” Fell grumbled as he trudged out of his room. 

“I SUPPOSE WE COULD CELEBRATE THE FACT WE’RE NOT DEAD,” Edge suggested grumpily. 

"Point taken…" Fell said begrudgingly. 

“THAT’S THE SPIRIT, EDGE!!!” Papyrus cheered. "NOW LET'S GET DOWNSTAIRS AND CELEBRATE!!!" 

“Is there a reason that you guys are yelling?” Sans asked, wheeling his wheelchair into the hall.

"Why yes, Classic. BECAUSE IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!" Blue yelled.

“So?” Sans asked. “It was Christmas last year too.” 

"Come now, Sans," Papyrus said as he looked at his brother with a look of exasperation. "Where's your Christmas cheer?!"

Sans couldn't help but slowly start to grin at the fact that his brother was excited about a human holiday again. "All right, bro, have it your way." 

Paps smiled even more, if that was even possible, and yelled, "THAT'S THE SPIRIT, DEAR BROTHER!!!" 

He lifted the wheelchair above his head and rushed his brother down the stairs and towards the living room. Poor Sans said nothing but held on for dear life, praying that the wheelchair rollercoaster ride would end soon.

Fell couldn't help but smirk forming on his face as he and the others slowly came down after them towards the living room.

As the brothers all went down the steps, they instantly smelled the delicious food that Kaliyah cooked up last night.

“Mmm…” Fell breathed. “That smells heavenly.”

“ABSOLUTELY DIVINE!!” Edge agreed. 

“But where is Kaliyah?” Sans wondered, looking around once he had calmed his beating heart. He did not like his trip downstairs, let me tell ya.

“Um… That’s a good question,” Blue admitted, realizing she wasn’t anywhere to be found. “Maybe we should look for her.” 

“Found her,” Stretch said from the living room. 

Kaliyah was draped across the couch fast asleep, muttering about cookies.

“Welp. I don’t think she got any sleep last night,” Sans said, looking her over as he wheeled into the room. 

“What’s going on?” Rose asked sleepily as she walked into the room. She was in her red rose-patterned pajamas with a bit of a bed head, not looking the least bit threatening. Too bad that’s not how the skeletons took her arrival.

“WHO THE HECK IS THAT?!?!” Edge asked in alarm, getting into a defensive stance. 

“Look, if you’re here to rob Kaliyah or hurt her, you’ve got another thing coming!” Stretch warned her, his stance tense and ready to fight. 

“Guys! It’s just Rose! Kaliyah invited her over!” Blue said, trying to avoid a disaster.

“Kaliyah passed out on the couch,” Classic told her, recognizing her voice from the phone call the day before. “So you’re Rose?”

She stared up at them all wide-eyed and started to smile a little. "Hello! I don't think we met properly yesterday since I was kinda hiding in the shadows. I apologize for that." She straightened up and smoothed out her long fiery colored hair, knowing it was probably a mess, and held out a hand to shake. "My name is Rosalinda Thornwood. I've been Kali's best friend ever since I can remember. What's yours?"

“Name’s Sans,” Sans said as he reached up to shake her hand. “I'm sure hope you’re not _thorny_ , though your _rosy_ cheeks say otherwise.” As their hands clasped each other, a farting sound ripped through the room, causing mixed reactions from the group behind him. 

“BROTHER!!!” Papyrus whined. 

“SERIOUSLY?!?! YOU’RE WORSE THAN FELL!!” Edge groaned. 

“Was that really necessary?” Blue asked. 

Stretch and Fell were grinning and controlling their laughter to varying degrees of success. 

Rose couldn't control her reactions. She both blushed and laughed at the same time. "Well _tibia_ honest, I wasn't expecting you to be such a _rib tickler."_ She snorted quietly a little while covering her mouth trying not to overdo it. She happened a glance over in Fell's direction for a split second and was blushing a little more red. She was hoping and praying that no one noticed. She managed to shake herself out of it and asked for the rest of everyone's names.

Classic grinned. “You’re not just a monster lover, but a jokester too. Nice.”

“I’m Fell,” Fell grinned. “It doesn’t seem that anything gets under your _skin_. That’s a good trait to have around here.”

She slowly snorted at the pun and grinned a smile that was just breathtaking. Her award winning one. Fell somehow did a double take. He could've sworn he saw that smile before. But he didn't know from where. He also couldn't help the tug and tingling of his soul from his chest. This was new.

“My name is Stretch,” Stretch said simply, trying to keep himself between Rose and Blue and the sleeping Kaliyah.

“HELLO!!! MY NAME IS THE GREAT PAPYRUS!!!” Papyrus beamed as he grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously. “IT IS WONDERFUL TO MEET ONE OF KALIYAH’S FRIENDS!!!!!”

Rose couldn't help but give him a small happy smile. You know, the type of smile that was seen when staring at a sleeping baby. She grasped his hand gently and remarkably kept up with his pace when they shook hands. She looked over to Stretch for a brief moment and nodded a polite hello.

Edge folded his arms and briefly stated, “CLASSIFIED.”

“That’s my brother, Edge,” Fell said with a chuckle.

Rose couldn't help the giggle that came from her. To her Edge was like a cactus tsundere. Prickly and standoffish on the outside but sweet and refreshing on the inside.

“And you already know me,” Blue smiled, “so now you know everyone.”

"Well, I'm going to get freshened up and change my clothes. Tell me when Kali wakes up okay? I'll be in the bathroom." She walked away and headed towards the downstairs bathroom.

Fell groaned. “Why do we have to change? It’s a holiday!” 

Startling everyone, Kaliyah began muttering in her sleep again. 

“But Charity…” she mumbled. “The cupcakes aren’t done yet…” She then turned over on the couch and cuddled a pillow close to her chest. “Why don’t you take care of Frisk…” 

The mention of that name reminded both Sans and Blue what they had to do: bring both humans to meet each other to see whether their suspicions were right. 

They exchanged a look before Blue said, “Maybe we should let her sleep more. She seems exhausted. I think we can wait a couple of hours for Christmas.”

Two hours seemed to pass in a blink of an eye. And by this time, Rose was done taking a shower and drying off. She then dressed up in her fluffy red sweater, that had a black rose imprinted on the front. And then putting on a comfy pair of black sweater pants. She chose to wear diamond Christmas themed jewelry on her multiple pierced ears and wore a gold necklace that encased a rouge pink heart-shaped jewel. And then, of course, putting multiple liners on both her eyes and lips and then putting glittery pinkish eyeshadow and a deep shade of pinkish-red glittery lipstick on. She also made sure she ironed and curled her naturally wavy hair to look like it was flowing.

She looked herself over one more time to see if she was ready and gave herself the _okay_. It was then that she heard a knock on the bathroom door.

“Hey lady!” came Fell’s voice through the door. “Kaliyah hasn’t woken up yet and she’s still muttering in her sleep. Got any ideas?”

"Hmmm," she thought. "Hold on, I might be able to help. Just give me a second to clean up." A few minutes later she opened the door to find that Fell was talking to Classic about what to do until they saw her.

“She’s started muttering about Calypso murdering muffins!” Fell said to Sans. “What the heck are we supposed to do?”

Sans rolled his eyes lights while Fell continued to rant. "It's not like an angel is going to—" It was at that moment that both of them saw her with the bathroom glow that shone around her like a halo.

Both Sans and Fell went slack-jawed with their sockets wide and their pinpricks reduced to tiny dots.

“I’m going to go to my room now,” Sans said as he disappeared. 

Fell just stared. “U-um… You look good!”

Rose couldn't help the slight blush and the cute little smile that crept on her face making her look more like an angel. "So… is Kali still on the couch?" she shyly asked. Stupid question, I know, but what was she supposed to do in this awkward situation?! 

Fell turned a slight shade of red and stuttered at his answer to her. “Yeah, she’s saying strange things.”

"Well okay then," she concluded and she went straight to the living room to find Kali muttering louder and this concerned her.

“Bad Calypso… bad sorceress lady… stop murdering my cupcakes…” she muttered. “Cupcakes are for eating… not stabbing… I don’t want to be the queen’s pawn… I wanna be the cook…”

Rose couldn't help the snort that escaped her and shook her head slowly. She then carefully sat down at her side and gently put her head on her lap. She started to gently comb her fingers through her red hair and then started humming a song that always helped when Kali had a nightmare.

_“What if Your blessings come through raindrops?_

_What if Your healing comes through tears?_

_What if a thousand sleepless nights are_

_What it takes to know You’re near?_

_What if trials of this life are_

_Your mercies in disguise?”_

Kaliyah slowly calmed down, her muttering softening and becoming less frequent.

Rose slowly urged her to get up by cooing to her that she needed to get up and that it was time for breakfast. She refused at first, then Rose said, "Please? You promised me to show me how to make pancakes remember?" 

“Mmm… Pancakes? Those aren’t desserts…” Kali started to slowly stir and soon enough she opened her eyes slowly to see Rose lovingly look at her with a smirk on her face. 

"Good morning sunshine!" Rose grinned.

Kaliyah was confused at first but then just smiled back at her. “Did I fall asleep on the couch again? I was determined to make it to a bed last night. Guess I didn’t quite get there.”

"Apparently not," Rose giggled. "Anyways, shall we get you cleaned up for the day then open presents? What do you think, Kali?"

“Do I have to change?” she asked. “It’s Christmas! It’s PJ day!!”

"Okay, but after presents, I want to dress you up like old times! And I promise you that I have gotten much better at using my makeup." She playfully winked at her. "I even have the PERFECT outfit for you to wear! Oh! And don't forget. I'm also doing your hair as well!" she said excitedly. 

Kaliyah groaned. “I hate prettying myself up and you know it.”

"Yeah, but you OWE me for all the sleepovers that we missed!" She then gave her a playful glare that, even though it was in a friendly way, meant business. "By the way, we need to discuss something in private when we have the chance, okay?"

Kaliyah took a moment to raise a brow in confusion. “Okay? And that would be?” 

She glanced at the skeletons around her for a split second then, looked back at Kaliyah once more. "I think we should discuss this when there's less of an audience."

Kaliyah’s expression darkened. “Why is that? Is it because they’re monsters?” 

Her expression seemed surprised. "No! It's because it's something personal. And I don't feel as if it should be discussed with the opposite gender in the room!"

Her gaze softened as she realized what Rose was going at. “I see. Okay. Sorry. I’ve become defensive of them. You didn’t deserve that.” She sat up. “Why don’t we get breakfast in front of everyone? I’m sure everyone is hungry.” 

Rose smiled. She couldn't wait to have Kali's breakfast again after so long! Everyone could practically see that reaction from the way she brightened at the mention of breakfast.

“It seems unanimous,” Kaliyah laughed. “Onto the kitchen! And food!”

⋯

#  **Fell’s POV**

I have to say, this was nice, celebrating Christmas without having to worry about someone stabbing you in the back. I think I might actually learn to love it here. 

Papyrus was actually being civil with the others. Whatever Kaliyah did to him when she was taking care of him a few days before was doing wonders with him. He didn’t even remember to check the food for poison. But then again, neither did I. There was no need to. We could feel we were safe for the first time in a lifetime. 

Besides, how could something so delicious be dangerous? Kaliyah’s biscuits and sausage gravy were heavenly, and the only danger her apple cider posed was if it burned your tongue! Kaliyah apologized to Rose so many times it was hilarious!

About halfway through the meal, Kaliyah decided that she was going to start the conversation. 

“So… how is it? Do you all like it?” she asked tentatively. 

Blue was jumping out of his seat and proclaimed it was the most divine meal he had ever had, which made me chuckle. I was glad we decided to call him Blueberry. It really did fit him. 

“IT’S… PASSABLE,” Papyrus said hesitantly, but I knew from him that was equivalent to giving her five stars. 

“PASSABLE?!?!” Vanilla, Classic’s Papyrus, gasped. “THIS IS WONDERFUL!!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! FIT OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS’S PRAISE!!! KALIYAH IS AN EXCELLENT COOK!!!! NYEH HEH HEH!!!!” 

“Aw shucks, Pap, you’re too kind,” Kaliyah blushed. She hadn’t eaten much, which I found odd. If her food was so wonderful to us, why didn’t she want any?

“I think you have enough talent to open a restaurant,” Stretch told her. “I can’t think of any reason for you to want to become a doctor when you have this much skill in the cooking field.”

“It’s… a personal reason,” she said simply, not wanting to elaborate. “I actually haven’t cooked for other people in a long time.”

I found that peculiar as well. Maybe it was because of what happened to her and her family? I made a mental note to ask later when we were alone, if I ever got the chance to be alone with her in the first place.

“I have to admit, this is pretty good,” Classic began. 

“Why thank you, Classic,” Kaliyah smiled. “From you, that’s high praise--”

“For a mage,” he finished. 

Kaliyah stopped. “Yeah, I should have seen that coming,” she admitted. 

I could see Rose glaring across the table at him really menacing like and I could've sworn I felt the table shake. I think Classic did too because he had a look of shock for a split second before it disappeared again. I doubted anyone but a fellow Classic would have noticed the ripple of emotion in his face, and I could tell that Stretch and Blue had seen it too.

Wait… Blue? Blue was closer to a Papyrus, wasn’t he? How had he noticed it? And why was he trying to hide his smirk about it?

I shook it off. It was probably nothing. This was Blue we were talking about. I was probably seeing things.

The others looked expectantly at me, and I realized I had yet to say anything.

“I think it’s pretty good,” I said simply. “Definitely better than back home.” 

Papyrus nodded subtly in agreement. I was sure he was glad that I was taking a liking to food that wasn’t coated in grease or mustard. 

Kaliyah smiled at me, and I felt a warm feeling across my cheeks. She was almost like a mother in a way, taking care of everyone like we were lost children. I have to admit, I kind of liked it. It was a stark difference to the uneasiness of Underfell. If I had a choice in the matter, I would never go back. Papyrus and I were here to stay. 

Rose was the next to reply or rather, praise. "I absolutely LOVED the food Kali! Y'know, after I stopped burning my tongue on the cider. But I think you've greatly improved since the last time you cooked for me! Next time, let's do it together, like old times!" She grabbed her friend's hand reassuringly. And both of them just smiled like a couple of angels. 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t think it was that hot!” Kaliyah immediately apologized again, even though I could tell she knew she didn’t need to. It was almost out of habit, I saw. 

Rose waved it off, then excitedly asked when they were going to open presents.

“Presents?” Classic repeated, surprised, voicing the question we all had. “I knew you were baking up a storm, but you said nothing about presents last night.” 

Kaliyah smiled softly. “You see,” she began, standing up from the table and clearing her plate, “I thought since you lost everything in the fire, you deserved some new nice things. We can go shopping tomorrow for everything else you need to replace, but I decided I was going to get you a few things in advance.”

You can say that the rest of us were dumbfounded. Heck, even Classic didn't say any snarky comments about the situation, which made me mentally chuckle at him. I couldn’t believe that Kaliyah had gone out and done that for us. It was inconceivable. 

And I couldn't help but see Rose doing the same thing, only for her, she had an evil smirk on her face. As though she was watching the results of something she had planned for revenge or something. Living in Underfell long enough could make you recognize that look a mile away. Looking at her closer, I thought that Rose looked just a tad familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. I shrugged it off, telling myself that all humans looked alike. But I couldn’t get her off my mind completely.

Blue was the only one who didn’t seem surprised, and I suddenly realized where he had disappeared to last night. He had followed Kaliyah, knowing that she was up to something.

It was Classic who voiced the question we were all thinking. “Why?!” 

“Why what?” Kaliyah asked. 

“Why would you do that for us?!” he exclaimed. “You barely even know us! Why do you even care if we have what we need?! That we have nice things to begin with?!?!”

She smiled softly at him. “I believe I told you why last night, Classic.” 

A furious blue blush covered his cheeks. What was going on between those two? “So? Just because you say you like to see others happy doesn’t explain why you would spend your hard-earned money and time on a bunch of nobody skeletons you met on the streets just a few days ago just so they could have a Christmas!”

She chuckled. “Classic,” she muttered to herself. “So literal. Almost reminds me of…” She stopped, almost seeming like she couldn’t continue. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, but she brushed it off and smiled shakily, but those who could read a person well enough could see that the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I ask you, do I have to have a reason? They say that you need a reason to be sad, but not one to be happy. Maybe that small act is what truly makes me happy.”

No one had an answer to that. Perhaps it was that small moment of vulnerability that she had inadvertently shone that silenced us, or perhaps how she had answered the question, but she had done it just the same. I briefly wondered what Classic reminded her of, but quickly realized she would probably never tell us. 

After taking a shaky breath, she said, “Why don’t we head into the living room? I have presents to give out to all you good little skeletons.”

Rose collected all the dishware and washed them off at breakneck speed and grabbed Kaliyah by the hand and dragged her along to the living room. Both of them giggling to each other. We all got up from the table and made our way along with the girls. And what we saw next, took all our breaths away within a second.

There were little stockings with our names on them on the couch and a bunch of presents under the tree. There was even a stocking with Rose’s name on it, which made Rose shake her head at Kaliyah.

“Kali! I thought we were doing presents for the monsters, not me!” she laughed, slugging Kaliyah in the shoulder. 

“Well, I couldn’t leave my best friend out. I even got you and me a few presents too. The presents for me are mostly because I know some people here would yell at me if I didn’t get anything for me after getting them all this stuff,” she said with a chuckle. “Stockings first, then presents.”

The stockings were filled with little things: toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, candy, knick-knacks, a toy or two, and the like. I was surprised to find a red stocking cap and matching gloves and scarf in mine that hid most of my skeletal features quite well. 

“In case you guys ever want to go out in public without getting beat up,” Kaliyah explained when she saw my questioning look. “They won’t work when it gets a little warmer, but they’ll do for the winter. They should make you look a little less suspicious when you’re trying to get around. And they’ll keep you warm. Don’t want your marrow freezing, if it can even do that.”

“It can’t,” Stretch said as he pulled the turquoise cap over his skull, “but thanks anyway.”

Classic gave Kaliyah a strange look as he tried on the purple and blue striped hat. It took me a second to realize that those were the colors of his Frisk’s sweater. I frowned at him. How the heck was she supposed to know about the kid’s murderous tendencies?!

Blue was wearing a turquoise hat with a silver pompom that was covered with white stars as he put on the matching scarf and turquoise gloves. “The scarf is warmer than my bandanna,” he said. “It’s interesting, but I like it.”

Papyrus had on the red and black cap with grey knitted horns Kaliyah had gotten him. “I LIKE THIS HAT. IT IS _CERTAINLY NOT_ JUVENILE, SO I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING OF THE SORT!” he snarled.

“I promise, you won’t,” Stretch replied, eyeing Vanilla’s red and gold hat, which had gold spikes down the center like a dinosaur. 

“IT’S AMAZING!!” Vanilla cried, picking Kaliyah up in a bear hug. “I LOVE IT!!! THANK YOU, KALIYAH!!!”

“You’re welcome!” Kaliyah squeaked. I could have sworn I heard the sound of ribs cracking before Kaliyah was put down, gasping for breath. “Remind me… to find… some way… to soften your hugs…” she wheezed. “I’m going… to end up… breaking something… one of these days.” 

Rose looked amused and concerned at the same time as she wore her hot pink hat and tried to slowly pat her friend on the back so that maybe she can find some air.

“Thanks, Rose,” Kaliyah smiled softly once she had finally got the air back into her lungs regularly. 

Rose smiled back at her, glad that she could help.

“Now,” Kaliyah began as she grabbed the first seven packages, “it can’t be comfortable wearing your day clothes to bed, so I got everyone these.”

We opened them to find soft pajamas waiting for us. I gently picked mine up, a black t-shirt with _Donut Disturb_ on it and some red and black checkerboard pants. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had given me something this nice. They felt so soft too. I immediately loved them. I decided I was going to wear them every night. 

From out of the corner of my socket I saw Rose try to hold in a laugh when she saw my set of PJ's. I just couldn't help but smile in turn. Her smile was contagious.

“KALIYAH,” Vanilla asked gingerly as he examined his orange dinosaur pajamas, “CAN WE GO AND PUT THESE ON? PLEASE?” 

Kaliyah laughed. “Go ahead. I’m not stopping you.”

About five minutes later, everyone was back wearing their new pajamas. Kaliyah smiled to see us wearing her gifts. 

“You all like them?” she asked.

All of us hummed and yelled in agreement. 

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have taken the time to change,” Classic smirked, wearing the blue _Lazybones_ pj’s he had received. “It takes forever to get _anything_ over this cast!”

Rose stood up and told Kaliyah that she'd change her outfit during the sleepover, which Kaliyah seemed okay with.

“Next, I suppose you lost your wardrobes in that fire, so I decided to replace some of it,” Kaliyah smiled as she handed out seven more packages. “I only got you one outfit, Rose. I figured that you wouldn’t mind.”

Rose just smiled and asked, "It's fine! I'm just wondering how you did all this behind my back while we shopped." She couldn't help herself but giggle about it. "But I guess that makes us even then." She then got up and went behind the tree and pulled out a small present that was addressed to Kaliyah.

“I bought a lot of this before, in between shifts… What are you doing?” Kaliyah asked. “Is that… for me? But Rose! How did you… I didn’t even know that I was going to call you until yesterday! When did you do this?” 

"It was a present that I've wanted to give to you since the incident. Here, I hope you like it."

She handed her the small gift and as she unwrapped it, Kaliyah gasped. It was a brown picture frame with roses growing around it. And in that picture frame was a picture of her and Rose in matching baseball jerseys and hats smiling cutely for the camera with one arm wrapped around the other. Faces pressed against each other on their cheeks and both of them were showing peace signs at the camera.

“Rose… I love it!” she cried, wrapping her best friend in a bear hug. “Thank you!” 

"Heh! Kinda figured you'd like it! Do you remember that day?"

“Yeah! My dad took us to the big game and got us both souvenirs! It was a lot of fun, even though I’m not really a baseball fan, mostly because you were there,” she smiled, looking at the photo fondly. “It’s a good memory, I can say that. I haven’t had a lot of those since the incident.”

"Do you remember how your dad tried to catch that one fly ball but got knocked in the head instead? Hah!"

“Yeah! He nearly tumbled down the stadium rows but he caught himself just in time,” she laughed. Then she turned and placed the photo on the mantel where other photos sat. I had never really studied them before, but they were full of happy people, and about half had a girl that had to be Kaliyah in them. 

I realized that while I was watching the two, I had forgotten to open my present, which made me chuckle at myself. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one, as the five other skeletons in the room suddenly remembered their presents as Kaliyah turned around and began unwrapping them so she wouldn’t realize that they had been staring. 

I found a few good t-shirts, two pairs of sweatpants, a red hoodie for warmer weather, and… a suit? 

Yes, it was a black suit with a white button-up shirt and a red-and-black-striped tie. I gave Kaliyah a questioning look, which she immediately answered. 

“Those who live in my house will go to church every Sunday,” she said authoritatively, “and I will not have my guests wearing everyday clothes to church. You must look proper.” She grabbed a few more boxes and handed two to each of us. “These go with the outfits,” she explained. 

A pair of brand new red tennis shoes and some black dress shoes were the contents of the two boxes I was given. I chuckled. She was serious about us looking good at church, I realized. I looked around to see that everyone else had gotten a suit too and the shoes to match along with their normal clothes. 

“You guys can try them on later so that we can see whether they actually fit,” she told us, “and if they don’t, we can always go exchange them for the right size.” 

"Okay, Kali. When are we going to get to the good part?! I want to see their reactions!" Rose was practically begging Kaliyah.

“Hold on! I have one more thing before that!” she laughed, grabbing eight more packages. 

Inside each present were a blanket and a movie. I wrapped myself in my new soft red blanket before examining the movie. _Coco_ , the cover proclaimed. I asked Kaliyah what it was about and why there was a boy and a skeleton on the cover if they supposedly hated our kind. 

“It’s based off a human holiday called the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, where the people of the Latin Americas would honor their ancestors,” she explained. “As for what it’s about, why don’t you read the back? It’s what it’s there for.” 

I did as she said and turned it over, finding this description:

_Despite his family's generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. After meeting a charming trickster named Héctor, the two new friends embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history._

I had to admit, it sounded interesting. Sure, I wouldn’t have been the one to pick it, but I would definitely watch it. I was about to ask her if we could have a movie night when Classic asked her what the heck Atlantis was. She promptly told him he would have to wait to find out, which made me laugh. I was also curious what this _Atlantis_ was, but I could wait. 

“And now,” Kaliyah said, drawing everyone away from examining their movies as she dragged out a few more packages, “we have what Rose has aptly called _the best part._ ” She handed a package to each of us except Rose, Classic, and Blue. “Now these first ones are a little less of a gift as a return as they were from your old house. That’s why not everyone got one. Rose and I combed the wreckage and scavenged what we could—” 

“Hold up,” Stretch interrupted, putting a hand up to silence her. “Are you telling me that’s where you went last night? You went to a ruined house that could have collapsed on top of you at any moment and searched the wreckage for our old stuff knowing that those college kids might have been there waiting for us or any of our friends to come looking for our things so that they could beat us up again and you took _one person_ as backup? Are you serious?!” 

"Now relax," Rose piped in. "I know it was risky being there because of the possibility of the roof caving, but as far as those college jerks go, I would've taken care of them myself real easily. I might not look it, but I'm pretty good at defense and attack moves. It also helped that I had a weapon on me as well. Heh."

“I don’t care if you know karate and could’ve flattened them with a mountain if you wanted!” Stretch snarled. “Those guys are dangerous! Heck, they beat _us_ up! That’s a feat! She should have had us there as back up!” 

Rose perked one eyebrow at him and said, "Oh, and pray tell what you were going to do to them? Throw a sneaker at them? Because that's pretty much all you're allowed to do until the police get over their prejudice over you guys. I'm pretty sure that using magic against humans is something that they can use to lock you all away. For good."

“We didn’t have to actually _use_ the magic,” Blue said with a smile. “We just have to _scare them_ with it.”

"Regardless, if they went to the police that they were even threatened by you guys using magic, you wouldn't stand a chance."

“What if I said it was a pet?” Blue asked. 

“Wait, what?” Kaliyah asked. “How could you call magic a pet?” 

“No, no,” I said. “He’s got a point. They could definitely pass as pets. It might be a bit of a _stretch_ , but we could definitely prove they were pets.”

Rose still looked at us with a funny expression. 

“They could, but they’re still dangerous. I bet there are laws against summoning dangerous pets. Besides, they’re gigantic! One of them is as tall as you, Fell!” Stretch reminded them. 

“I doubt there are any laws about _summoning_ anything!” Classic pointed out.

Rose looked mad for some reason. "You never know these days. Recently, they've been coming up with all these ridiculous laws for monsters. Mainly because the majority of the police department are a bunch of prejudiced jerks.

“I am still wondering what you guys mean by summoning magic pets,” Kaliyah reminded them. 

“Oh! Right. You’ve never seen a Blaster before,” I remembered. “You wouldn’t know what we’re talking about.” 

“A _what_?!” Kaliyah asked.

Rose perked her ears a bit and looked at me with expectation in her eyes. "Can you show us?!" I swear I thought I heard her voice go to a higher pitch in tone when she asked me that.

I shrugged. “Sure?” I summoned my Gaster Blaster and petted it. “Hey buddy,” I said kindly. “How are ya?” 

It purred under my touch and then gave me a reproachful look. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know it’s been a while since I let ya out, but it’s been ages since the last one. I haven’t had a reason to summon you before now,” I told it. 

It growled softly, letting me know its displeasure.

“Don’t you dare take that tone with me!” I scolded it. “You do that again and I’ll put you away!” 

It whimpered and cuddled close to me in apology. 

“That’s better,” I told it. “Good Blaster.”

Rose went nuts. "It's so beautiful and cute!!! Can I touch it?!" I think Blue was rubbing off on her because she would have had little stars in her eyes if that was possible for humans as she looked at me and my blaster.

I shrugged. “If it’ll let you,” I told her, inviting her to draw near.

She crept up to the blaster and carefully held out her hand for it to sniff. Pretty much like what you would do for a dog. I had to prevent myself from making any laughing noises or I might mess something up. 

The blaster sniffed her hand and almost instantly it had little hearts in its sockets. It started to purr and rub itself against her as if it wanted to hug or cuddle her, but only succeeded in nearly pushing her over. 

I stared. “It’s not usually this friendly with strangers. I wonder why it likes you so much.” 

“We could see if mine likes her,” Stretch offered. 

“That might be a good idea,” I agreed.

Stretch summoned his blaster, which had orange eyelights instead of the red that mine had and a few less pointy teeth, but was still threatening just the same. 

“Go ahead and approach it,” Stretch told Rose, who was still being bombarded by my blaster.

She managed to pull away for a moment and did the same thing with the other blaster with completely different results. It bared its teeth and began charging up for a shot when Kaliyah stepped in front of it. 

“Oh no, mister,” she scowled, making the blaster whimper. “You are _not_ attacking Rose, do you hear me, young man? No.” 

It rubbed up against her apologetically. 

“Good boy—thing,” she said, beginning to pet it and making it purr.

“Well, we know that Stretch’s blaster doesn’t like Rose, but mine does,” I said. “I have no idea why that is.” 

“Well, you have to remember,” Classic said as he summoned his own blaster, “that these things are connected to our souls and therefore must share our memories. Maybe you could have met her before?” 

“That’s one possibility, but as judges our weapons would be able to see the soul, right?” Blue pointed out as he began petting his summoned blaster. “Maybe Fell’s blaster saw something that he liked and Stretch’s saw something he didn’t.” 

Most of us stared at him. 

“Since when could you summon your blaster?” Stretch asked. 

“I’ve always been able to summon my blaster,” Blue said simply as he played with his blaster. “You just never asked.” 

"Well, maybe it doesn't like me because they're connected to your emotions? I mean emotions are a pretty strong thing to handle if you think about it. Stretch? Did I offend you somehow?" Rose asked.

“I just met you,” Stretch reminded her. “How could you… Wait. I guess I am pretty annoyed that you were the only back up that Kaliyah decided to bring.”

"Well she wanted it to be a surprise. And in all honesty, if I wasn't there to help bring her around Blue would've…"

Stretch’s expression darkened. “Would have what, Rosalinda Thornwood?” he scowled. “Would have what?”

Rose looked at Kaliyah as if asking permission to speak or something.

Kaliyah sighed. “Blue scared me because I caught him following me and my magic kicked in. It took me a minute to recognize him, and if Rose hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have recognized him in time not to attack him.”

“Ah,” Stretch nodded. “I see. Blue, that was very stupid of you! You of all people know the dangers of a startled Kaliyah!”

“It was an accident!” he protested. “I didn’t think she would catch me! And I was too scared of hurting her to summon little Comet here!” 

“Comet?” I asked, snickering. 

“Well, he’s got to have a name!” Blue objected. “I mean, I treat him as a pet more than a weapon. I can’t just keep calling him Blaster. You agree with me, don’t you Pap?” 

“THAT IS AN INTERESTING PROPOSITION,” Vanilla agreed. “YES, MY SPECIAL ATTACK NEEDS A NAME!!! SOMETHING AS COOL AS PAPYRUS!!!” 

"Well before we get to other topics, two things. One, Stretch? Are we okay now? And two, we need to open the rest of the presents before the day rolls down to Christmas dinner," Rose pointed out.

“We’re good,” Stretch grumbled under Kali’s glare. 

“I agree,” Kaliyah said, her gaze softening. “We should get on with the presents—” 

_DING DONG!_ went the doorbell. 

“Oh, come on!” Rose groaned. “Why can’t we do this without getting off track?!”

Kaliyah stared in the direction of the entryway. “Who could that be? No one comes to my house because there’s a rumor that whoever does gets cursed by me, the _wicked witch_ who lives here. They also say it’s haunted.” 

Blue nearly choked on his coughing. “Haunted? Why would they think it’s haunted? This place isn’t haunted! No way, no how! Definitely not haunted!”

Rose looked at him in a funny way and started to wonder why he was so jumpy.

Kaliyah stood up. “I’ll be right back,” she said as she approached the entry hall. 

We could hear her open the door and get out a hello when suddenly all we could hear was a booming, “HELLO, DARLING!!!” 

Classic’ sockets went wide as he hid under his blanket. “Kill me now,” came his muffled voice under the blue fabrics.

Kaliyah’s voice came from the doorway. “What the heck are you?!” she asked. “And why are you on my doorstep?!” 

“Why, I’m here to drop some things off for the skeletons since they missed Christmas with the rest of us, darling,” answered the second voice that I immediately recognized as the pompous self-absorbed Mettaton. “Even though I am obviously not Santa Claus or the mailman. But Toriel doesn’t care, oh no! She sends _me_ because I _can’t freeze_! Oh, really, Toriel?! I have sensitive circuits that can be seriously damaged by the cold, thank you very much!”

Rose seemed interested and went to the front door to see who it was.

Kaliyah poked her head into the living room as Rose walked into the entryway next to her. “Do any of you know a crazy lady who is obviously insane because she thinks she’s a robot?” Kaliyah asked us.

“How dare you call me that?!” he objected. “I am a star and definitely male! Seriously, why does _everyone_ think I’m a girl?!”

Rose immediately recognized him and her eyes and smile went wide. "You’re Mettaton right?! The Underground's number one celebrity! It's an honor to meet you!" She held out her hand for him to shake. "I'm Rose."

"Well now, who is this lovely beauty here! Don't you look absolutely STUNNING! Who does your makeup, dear?" 

I came to see what the commotion was all about and saw and, unfortunately, heard what that tin can was saying to Rose. She blushed at the compliment, and for some reason this really rubbed me the wrong way. _Wait, why is this bugging me so much?!_ I wondered. _I just met her. I literally know nothing of this girl! What's wrong with me?!_ Then I noticed my blaster right by my side slowly growling, looking at the same scene I was.

"Well, I do my own makeup and such by myself." 

"Oh DARLING! You absolutely have to show me sometime! Or even better yet, do some of your techniques on me sometime." He then bowed down as if he was addressing the flipping Queen of England, grabbed and then freaking kissed her hand!

And that's when I lost it. Mentally speaking. I kept my cool on the outside but on the inside, I was losing it. But unbeknownst to me my emotions weren't as bottled up as I thought they were, because apparently, my emotions found an alternate way out. Oh yeah… That outlet was my blaster. It roared. Let me clarify, ROARED in LITERAL anger and something else that I wasn't able to pin down. It sounded like something escaped from that human movie, what was it? Oh yeah! Jurassic Park.

I was still lost in my own thoughts trying to fight the inner battle that was raging inside me. From either keeping my cool or smashing that good for nothing tin can with hair and high heels! So while doing that, I failed to notice my blaster trying to charge, fire, and possibly trying to mangle the pink idiot! And also the five other skeletons and their blasters either trying to calm me down or trying to hold back my blaster from turning Mettaton into dust on Kaliyah's front door step (not that I think she would have minded anyway--he was being a total jerk). 

Noticing my emotions, Kaliyah decided to end the encounter with Mettaton before something bad happened. “Why don’t you give me their things and get back to your Christmas?” she suggested icely. “That way your _precious circuits_ don’t freeze.” 

He flipped his hair and smirked. “Finally, something smart came out of your mouth. Here’s the bag.” He dropped a large red bag on the floor before spinning on his heels and walking away, slamming the door behind him. 

Kaliyah sighed and dragged the bag into the living room. She looked at all of us. “I’m going to go out on a limb and guess I’m not the only one who hates that guy.”

“BUT WHY WOULD YOU HATE HIM?!?! METTATON IS AMAZING!!! HIS MOVIES ARE AWESOME AND HE HAS SEVERAL TV SHOWS!!!!!” Vanilla objected. 

“I THINK HE’S AN IDIOT,” Papyrus growled. “HIS SHOWS ARE TERRIBLE. METTAFELL IS A MUCH BETTER STAR THAN THAT PLASTIC BARBIE DOLL. MY FAVORITE PART WAS WHEN THEY STARTED THROWING TOMATOES AT HIM!!! THAT’S COMEDY!!!!”

Kaliyah stared at him. “He agreed to have them thrown at him… right?” 

“OF COURSE NOT! THAT’S THE BEST PART!!!!” Papyrus replied. 

“Remind me to show you real comedy,” Kaliyah muttered as she sat down. “You guys want to open this bag thing or do the other presents I got you first?”

“Your presents, then our presents, okay?” Blue decided, the rest of us agreeing with him. 

I was still a little shaken up and I think Kaliyah noticed it too. She looked at me for a minute and asked me if I was alright. 

“Fell, why don’t you get something to snack on,” she told me while giving Rose a strange look. “I’m sure the others could wait on presents while you get a bite to eat. Rose, go with him. You know what to do.”

"Right, I'll do that." She gave her a look of confirmation of some sort and I knew something was up.

We headed towards the kitchen while the rest of them went back towards the living room. I was a little nervous on what was happening, but I shrugged it off. That was until she faced me in a serious but shy(?) expression.

"Um, Fell? Is there a reason why you nearly lost it back there?"

I was about to answer when I realized I didn’t know. I shrugged and said nothing, forgetting the blaster watching from the doorway.

Rose seemed to get even more nervous and I think she was… blushing? "Can you wait here for just a moment, Fell?" 

She left the kitchen before I gave my answer. So I just did what Kaliyah suggested and I had myself a slice of an apple pie that she baked up last night. As I was eating, I saw Rose come running back in with her hands behind her back.

“What’s that?” I asked, curious.

She seemed to get even more nervous if that was possible. Now my interest was peaked.

"W-well, um, besides the gift that I got Kali, I also got you something as well." Before I could say anything, she whipped the object in front of me and seemed to blush even redder.

I took it from her and opened it to find a record for the band KISS. I heard bits and pieces, even references, of this band, but I didn't really know what it was. All I saw was four dudes in mime makeup and ridiculous hard rock clothes.

I looked up at her, confused. 

"Um, this is one of the most popular hard rock bands. And one of the oldest as well. They were popular before the 80's. To be specific, they were formed in 1973. Their songs are really good. And when I heard that you liked rock, I figured you would like to try our human version of what good old classic rock was. Amazingly, they're still performing even till this day…"

I put my hand up to stop her. “That’s not why I’m confused. Why did you get me this? You don’t know me? Heck, we haven’t met before today! Why are you being so nice? Why is your face so red every time you talk to me? Can you at least tell me that?”

She looked surprised. Then as she looked around the room before she spotted something. Before I could follow her eyes, she grabbed me and pulled me toward one of the open doorways. "Instead of telling you. How about I show you." Before I could reply, she bent down to my eye level, closed her eyes, and kissed me! 

The kiss seemed to last for what seemed to be like hours, but instead, it was only a couple of seconds. She straightened up and looked towards the floor, red as a tomato.

I was stunned. What had just happened? Why had she done that? “W-why?” I stammered. “W-who?” 

And then it hit me. The night I had gotten drunk and stumbled into that grocery store and woke up in an inn the next day. The man had told me about the girl who had helped me. The one I had waited for in the park outside the Inn in hopes that I could see her again. This must have been her. 

Rosalinda Thornwood really _was_ a monster lover. 

I just stood there frozen in place with my blank eye sockets. Rose looked as though that she couldn't tell whether this was a good thing or not, with this worried expression on her face. A red blush began showing on my cheekbones as I slowly raised my hands over where she kissed me on my mouth. I could slightly feel a sticky substance on it before realizing that it was from her lipstick. _Gotta remember to wash that off before the guys see it,_ I thought.

Rose looked as though she was guilty of doing something wrong. I had to speak up before she got the wrong idea.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” I asked. “You’re the one who took me to that inn the night I got drunk.”

She started to look a bit flustered and shy with a bright red blush going across her face. She quietly nodded her head.

I chuckled. “You know, I sat on the bench in the park in front of that place every night waiting for you to come back,” I told her with a genuine smile, letting my eyelights go white for her, putting myself on display for her to see. I had no reason to hide who I truly am from her after what she did for me. “You were the only human in the city who would have done that for a random monster who was drunk, and I was intent on meeting you. I’m glad I finally did.”

Rose looked into my eyes and started to tear up a bit. She bit her lower lip to prevent herself from quivering her lips. I was wondering why she was so upset. That was until she slowly responded. 

"I… I know. I know that you were waiting for me…" she nervously responded. I was a bit confused at first but then she spoke up again. "It's not because you're a monster that I didn't talk to you! It's not like that at all! It's just… nobody has really done that for me, wait for me and actively try to find me and talk to me, I mean, little alone a monster." She looked to the floor.

“Ever since I was little, people would look at me funny because of my eyes and my personality. My situation got even worse when that incident with Kali and her family. People started to believe that I was the one that brought her bad luck. Which was why I thought she was ignoring me for the longest time." She shuffled her feet awkwardly before continuing:

“Believe it or not, Kali was the one daring enough to make friends with me. I was pretty much by myself and always picked on by the boys and ignored by the girls. I still get that today, just less severe, I think. Kali was the only one that liked me for me. So when you started flirting with and then waiting on me. I just couldn't help the whole thing of finding someone who likes me then disappears from my life because of who I am start to play all over again. Which was my number one reason for just watching you from afar on that bench. Plus you can say that I lacked the SPINE to go up and talk to you… heh." She pulled some of her wavy fiery hair around her ear and looked away shyly and blushed. I could tell a tear was threatening to fall.

I chuckled lightly at the pun as I realized what she was saying before I put a hand on her shoulder and gave her my conclusion to see if I was right. “You were scared that after I had gotten to know you, I wouldn’t want to be around you anymore, weren’t you?”

"Yeah… pretty much…" She replied quietly.

“Well, I can promise you that I’m not about to abandon the only gal who seems to care whether I end up unconscious in some alleyway,” I chuckled. “Besides, I haven’t gotten to know ya yet. I’ll let you know if at any time I feel like running away screaming.” I gave her a grin to show her that I was joking. 

She smiled her cute and shy smile. I swear her smiles could be addictive to watch. "Can… can I kiss you again? I mean, you can say no if you want. I… was just wondering…" she looked to the floor and twiddled her thumbs.

I smiled. “I can’t see why not,” I answered truthfully, “but afterward we need to get back to the others before they start to get worried. I don’t want my brother to storm in on us. You don’t need that kind of crazy in your life.”

Suddenly she had a smile that could melt the killer iceberg from the Titanic. She looked so overwhelmed with emotion that her eyes seemed to glow pink, but I assured myself that I was seeing things. Humans don’t have glowing eyes unless they’re crazy Kaliyah in the next room over. 

Right? 

My train of thought was interrupted as I was pulled into another kiss, and this time I put my heart and soul into it. This was nice. I liked it. I hoped that Rose would be around all the time.

Then she did something that I didn't expect her to do. She pressed her lips harder onto mine and grabbed my shirt collar so she could pull me closer to her. Her kiss seemed to get more passionate by the second, and who was I to pull back? I loved this girl. I wanted to stay here forever. 

But then I felt a surge of hot energy pouring into my soul, and I couldn't pull away. It was so comforting. Like someone put a heating blanket on my soul and left it there for hours. It was so addictive, I realized I didn't _want_ to pull away anymore. I closed my eyes and just let my emotions do the talking. 

And then everything crashed around me as I heard my brother’s voice. “FELL!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!” 

I jumped, pulling out of the daze I had been in, and turned around to find everyone else in the doorway of the kitchen. My blaster had disappeared, no longer acting as a blockade to keep everyone else away. Rose seemed dazed as well, almost as if she wasn’t sure what had happened. 

“Um… I promise there is an explanation for this, brother,” I stammered, trying to keep his rage pointed at me and away from Rose. I couldn’t let him hurt her. I just couldn’t. 

“THERE HAD BETTER BE A GOOD ONE,” he growled, towering over me. “I CAN’T THINK OF A SINGLE GOOD REASON THAT YOU’D BE KISSING A COMPLETE STRANGER IN THE KITCHEN OF KALIYAH’S HOUSE.”

Rose then spoke up. "Well, it's kind of a tradition if you're under one of these." She pointed upwards and Papyrus followed her gaze to find a plant over their heads. I saw it too and wondered when that had gotten there. Had Rose put it there in case of this exact situation?

“WHY? THAT SEEMS STUPID,” Papyrus said, crossing his arms. 

“No one is quite sure why or how this tradition started,” Kaliyah began, “but she is right. They must have stumbled into each other under the mistletoe and Rose loves this tradition so she wouldn’t let him refuse. Am I right?” She looked pointedly at the two of us, and I realized she was trying to help us get out of trouble.

"Yep!" Rose happily replied. Which made me look at her in surprise. Then I casually glanced at her hands behind her back and saw her two fingers crossed, and I couldn't help the smirk that came across my face. 

“EITHER WAY, FELL _KNOWS_ THAT YOU DON’T KISS PEOPLE WILLY-NILLY, AND ESPECIALLY NOT ON THE FIRST DATE. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH PAPYRUS, REMEMBER?” Papyrus looked pointedly at me.

I looked down. “Yes, I remember.” 

“DO WE HAVE TO GO OVER THOSE DATING RULES AGAIN? I KNOW THIS WASN’T A PROPER DATE, BUT I SAY IT COUNTS AS A CLOSE ENOUGH SCENARIO.” 

“No, we don’t, Boss.” I internally smiled as I thought to myself that this was technically a second date, not a first.

“GOOD. THEN USE THEM AND YOUR COMMON SENSE AND DON’T KISS RANDOM HUMAN GIRLS!” Papyrus chastised me. 

“I HAVE TO AGREE WITH EDGE,” Vanilla said disapprovingly. “KISSING RANDOM GIRLS THAT YOU ONLY JUST MET ISN’T HOW YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO DATE. YOU HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT THEM FIRST AND GET THEM INTO THE FRIEND ZONE BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT KISSING THEM.” 

“Yes, Vanilla, Boss. I’ll remember that next time,” I said. 

“Now, why don’t we stop talking about dating (as I don’t think any of you actually know how that works anyway) and go finish unwrapping those presents?” Kaliyah suggested. 

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Rose cheered. When everyone wasn't looking she bent down to my level and whispered, "That was actually my first kiss," and lightly pecked me on the cheekbones.

I smiled. “Mine too,” I whispered back as I followed her into the living room again.

As we filed back into the living room, I noticed that our things had been put so I was next to Rose from the start and realized that Kaliyah must have known about the two of us and what had happened. Maybe Rose had told her. They were best friends after all. I knew for a fact that my brother didn’t know. I was too embarrassed about getting drunk and lost out in public where I could have gotten myself killed to tell him about that night and the girl. I’d have to tell him later, I suppose. Maybe Rose could help me with that later.

I noticed the present that I had abandoned when I had tried to attack Mettaton and wondered what it might be. Rose had gone with Kaliyah and wouldn’t have gotten me that record unless… Did Kaliyah get me a replacement for the record player I had lost in the fire? I doubted it. The package was much too small for a record player, but it could definitely hold more records.

“All right,” Kaliyah said once everyone was sitting once more and had the presents in their laps as if she had given them one this round. “Go ahead and open them.”

Stretch, Papyrus, Edge, and I opened our packages to find some of our cherished things. 

I found the records that Papyrus had given me to go along with the record player he had gotten me for my last birthday, the first birthday I had ever celebrated on the surface had been wrapped up in pretty red-and-green paper. I carefully, gingerly picked up the discs and held them to my chest, tears beginning to fill up my eye sockets. They were one of the only things my brother ever gave me. 

I looked next to me to find Papyrus cradling his signed copy of _Three Days At The Brink_ , a historical fiction book describing a major turning point in what humans called World War II. I had gotten it for him for _his_ first surface birthday, thinking he would like it. I was glad that Kaliyah had been able to salvage it from the wreckage. 

Vanilla was getting teary-eyed as he held his copy of _Nothing Fancy_ , his only human cookbook. Classic had even got it signed by the author, Allison Roman, for him to make it extra special. 

Meanwhile, Stretch was running his phalanges over his precious guitar case, a look of awe on his face as he saw everything was intact, including his lucky bumblebee pick. It really was a shame that his guitar didn’t survive the fire, I thought. He really was an amazing player.

Papyrus spoke first. “You went to our old house,” he began, his tone soft and full of emotion, “searched the wreckage for things that you thought we might find valuable, and wrapped it up all pretty just so we could have a good Christmas for once?” 

I noticed that Rose had a smile that could only be described as, _You're welcome,_ and, _It was our pleasure._

Kaliyah nodded. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to find more. To make up for it, I got some new things.” She pulled out the next round of presents and handed them out to everyone except Papyrus. “Go ahead and open them,” she told us. 

We were about to when Kaliyah laughed. “Go look behind the tree, Edge. I promise I didn’t forget you.” 

The others I watched him get up and look behind the tree only to gasp at what he found. He ended up dragging out a gigantic dark brown pirate teddy bear that was as big as he was. I frowned, wondering how I had missed that. 

“IT’S… IT’S AWESOME!!!” he grinned, acting like an excited schoolboy. “I LOVE IT!!” 

“I knew you’d like it,” Kaliyah grinned. “I thought you needed something as cool as you are.” 

“THANK YOU!!!” he cried, pulling her into a bearhug and lifting her off the ground. He was acting just like Vanilla, and, for a moment, I nearly forgot where we had come from. Here we could be ourselves and not have to hide anything. It… 

It was home. 

I heard Rose slightly giggle at the sight and turned to see her give Kali a look that said, _You were right, as always,_ which resulted in Kaliyah giving a returning look that said, _Aren’t I always?_ with her huge smile. The girls silently laughed to themselves. I knew right then and there that we were going to have our skeletal hands full with these two.

Then the moment ended as Papyrus realized what he was doing. He blinked a couple times and then put her down before clearing his throat. “I MEAN, THANK YOU FOR THE HUMONGOUS TEDDY BEAR. I’M SURE I CAN FIND SOME USE FOR IT.”

She chuckled, knowing he didn’t really mean that and was putting up a facade. “Well?” Kaliyah asked, looking at the rest of us. “Aren’t you going to open your presents?”

Expectations high after what had just happened, we tore open the wrapping paper to find various things we would come to treasure.

I found a brand new record player, but instead of the partially broken one that Papyrus had found in the dump because the music store refused to sell to him, it was brand new. That explained all the records I had gotten as presents. But that was besides the point. The fact was, I _loved_ it!

I was startled by Vanilla’s screech of pleasure as he displayed the _Kiss The Cook_ apron and matching oven mitts and an entire cooking kit for him to try out. His eyes lit up with tears as he pulled Kaliyah into a hug.

The next gift that was opened was for Classic. And it was pretty much everyone's worst nightmare come true: a professional prank kit.

“Oh! Classic! I have something else for you and Vanilla,” Kaliyah said as she stood up. She went to the mantel and retrieved a photo before giving it to them. 

Classic studied the photo. “Where… Where did you get this?” 

“I found it while I was trying to avoid you. It seems like there were more photos in my father’s study than I originally thought. This one was in a locked drawer in his desk, along with one of him and a skeleton with two cracks down his eye sockets. They look like friends. I’ll show you later. I just thought you’d like that one for yourselves.” 

Classic looked at her with this questioning look on his face before studying the photo. His face began to soften as he looked it over and a genuine smile crossed his face. He gestured to Vanilla and as he looked at the photo, tears sprung up in his eyes. 

“Look, Pap,” Classic said softly. “It’s us and Dad.” 

“I thought all of these photos were erased when he…” Vanilla began, but stopped, unable to speak much more on the subject.

I looked over their shoulders to see a photo of Vanilla, Classic, and who I could only assume was their Gaster, though the brothers were a lot younger. They looked happy. 

Rose had this questioning look on her face. "As much as this is touching. How did your father know a monster? I thought they all were still sealed Underground during that time?"

Kaliyah shrugged. “My father was a very private man. I’m sure he mentioned a few friends named Gaster and Asgore though. I remember that. And he’d tell us stories about monsters before bedtime. It was our favorite thing.” She sighed. “The guy with the cracks on his eye sockets are in the pic with my dad, and there’s a yellow-haired goat guy in the background. I don’t know who either of them are though, but I feel like I should.”

She looked lost, like after the times she used magic, as if she was forgetting something important, but she quickly shook it off. “I suppose Blue and Stretch still have to open their presents yet."

I watched as Stretch moved the wrapping paper to reveal a beautiful golden brown guitar with a bumblebee engraved in the wooden body. The emotions in his eyes as he ran his phalanges over the grains brought me a smile. They had found him the perfect gift. 

He looked at Kaliyah. “How… How much did you pay for this? I’ll pay you back double!” he promised, tears in his eyes. 

She smirked. “Sure! The guy gave it to us for free, so you can pay me back the double of nothing!” she laughed. 

"Pfffffttttt." Rose just snickered.

Stretch wasn’t deterred. “Really, you have to let me pay for this. I’ll get a job and earn some money to pay you back, honest! I just can’t accept such a wonderful gift! You’ve only known us for a few days and you seem to be spending all of your precious time and resources on us!” 

She smiled. “No thanks. You know, since you guys got me to start cooking for others again, I might just go ask to work at a local restaurant. I’m sure I’ll find work there. And then I have school too… I’m going to worry all day about you guys getting hunted down by those college kids again, aren’t I?”

We skeletons shuffled uncomfortably. 

“Maybe if we stay inside,” Blue began hesitantly, “maybe they won’t find us again?”

None of us said anything, mostly because we didn’t believe that. They would find us again eventually, and the law was on their side. We couldn’t fight them without getting in trouble. 

We were caught in a corner without an escape.

Then Rose spoke up. Well more like barked at us. "WHAT'S WITH ALL OF YOU NEGATIVE NANCY'S? HUH? WE CAN'T GIVE IN TO THOSE MUSCLE HEADED DORKS! SO BUCK UP! WE'LL FIND A WAY!"

We all stared at her. 

“WHY DO ALL ADULT HUMAN FEMALES YELL AT US?!?!” Edge asked. 

“How many adult human females do you know exactly?” Classic asked. 

“I’VE MET QUITE A FEW, INCLUDING ONE WHO HIT ME WITH HER PURSE,” he replied. “THESE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE BEEN KIND AFTERWARD.” 

Rose could barely stifle the smile under her look of general displeasure. The look kinda reminded me of Frisk when she was ticked off at something. Heh. Snickers could hardly be contained throughout the room. Papyrus was kinda at a loss for words at what was going on.

"Okay. moving on." Rose proceeded to talk more. "I actually have my own connections with the police force mind you. And I can actually get those jerks behind bars for a long time. If you want to hear?"

“THAT WOULD BE AMAZING!! JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED!!!” Edge cried, his right eye socket glowing red. That would be hard to explain if Kaliyah saw it. 

I saw the more skeptical looks being shared between my _cousins_. I could already tell that they were doubtful of her words. 

Rose seemed to notice the elephant in the room and only made a sassy smirk with one eyebrow raised in question. "You don't think I can't pull this off?!"

“Um, no offense, but this town hates us!” Stretch reminded her. 

"Not as much as you think," Rose answered slyly. 

We all gave her a look. Then the most daring but most innocent of us spoke. 

"What do you mean Rosie?" Vanilla asked.

Rose responded with just a sly smirk on her face and whipped out her phone saying, "You'll see."

Kaliyah chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t think even you can stop this town from thinking I’m a cursed magical freak or from hating monsters.”

Rose kind of did this low sounding maniacal chuckle. "Well, I can't change EVERYONE. But I CAN get us some powerful friends that'll help us through. You'd be surprised what I've been up to for all these years dear Kali."

She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t doubt that,” she replied simply.

Rose just simply smiled at her then proceeded to dial a number on speed dial. It rang for a bit but it finally picked up. 

"Hello?" The voice on the other end had a deep and rough female voice. It kinda reminded me of Undyne. 

"Yeah, Carla? It's me." 

The voice on the other end was silent for a moment before speaking again. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" 

"Well, sort of. Do you remember the tapes of the traffic cams that the Inn owner handed me?"

"Yeah? Why?" She sounded cautious for a minute.

"Well let's just say that justice is FINALLY going to be served to those jerks. Willing to help out?" 

Rose waited for her response. And then even I can tell that the other person on the other end was smirking. Rose smirked as well. 

"So I take this silence as an affirmative?"

"Girl. I've been wanting to do this for so long! LET'S GET TO IT! Meet you at the regular place next week around noon. That's when I have my break. See you then?"

"Totally! And by the way, can I bring a few friends along?"

"What kind of friends?" Her voice again sounded cautious.

"Let's just say that they're the main "stars" of our little tapes who happened to be on the receiving end of luck’s side if you know what I mean. Plus an old friend that I've been meaning to introduce you to for some time."

The other end went quiet for a minute. "Fine, but they better keep on the down low and to be quiet. You know how it gets here."

"Yeah, I remember. I'll see you then. Bye and thanks."

"No problem. Bye."

She hung up, looked at Kali with determined eyes and held a thumbs up to us.

Kaliyah laughed. “Maybe you _can_ make this town like us.”

"Girl! I'm going to make you all loved and respected. I'm going to make y'all SHINE!!!"

I honestly never thought I'd hear that. And by the looks on my brother and the cousins, neither did they.

Classic shrugged. “If you say so. I’m still not believing this until I see it.” 

Rose looked at him with a devious smirk and mischievous glint in her eyes and hands on her hips. "Challenge accepted, comedian."

“Um… How did you know I was a comedian? Did Kaliyah tell you?” he asked, looking at the kind human laying on the couch. 

“I HIGHLY DOUBT IT,” Edge growled, his eye sockets narrowing. “YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ACTING LIKE A COMEDIAN TOWARD KALIYAH SINCE THE NIGHT YOU FOUND OUT SHE WAS A MAGE.”

I had to admit, my brother had a point.

Rose just rolled her eyes and pointed out, "Well first off, when we were shopping for you. It was evident that the prank kit was an indicator that you're a prankster. Secondly, and most importantly, when you first met me this morning, you made a flirtatious pun out of my name. Which also indicates the required quick thinking and wit to pull a quick joke that you would think is the _perfect_ zinger at the last minute for the poor unsuspecting victim of the punch line. Otherwise known as me. Any other questions? Or do you want a more detailed essay on all your quirks that I've managed to gather from you from the short time I've met you? Hmmm?" 

She said all of this as if it was as easy as breathing air! And with a sly smirk on her face. And I could've sworn I heard a purr in her voice on the last bit of what she said about his quirks.

Classic folded his arms and huffed. “What is it with you humans and knowing more than you should?!”

“It’s called psychology, Sans,” Kaliyah replied, “and it happens to be my minor. I can figure out people’s problems without them telling me and then I’m learning how to become a doctor to learn how to help them with their problems.”

Sans didn't know what to say, except, "Okay. I get you, Kaliyah. But what about _her_?"

Rose raised an eyebrow at him and looked to Kaliyah for her to properly explain her gift at sensing people's emotions and seeing the most detailed but crucial bits of a situation. And also for him to apologise when he emphasized her like she wasn't in the room. Which, I, myself found that rude and was slightly irked at that.

Kalyah sighed. “Look, Sans, some people, like Rose and I, are able to reach their emotional senses outward to sense other people’s emotions. It shows up in different ways. For me, I can pull another person’s pain on top of me, so that they feel less of it. I also have the ability to see a person’s aura or basically see their mood at the moment in the form of an odd atmosphere around them. Rose’s gift is similar as she can sense the emotions of those close to her. She is also extremely observant and uses it to her advantage. Although empathetic skills cannot be taught, I am learning to be more observant and pick up on silent body cues in school, as it will help make me a better doctor. So, yes, we do in fact see more than you think.” She smirked at Classic. “For example, this conversation, along with the few previous ones, is putting you on edge. You also use comedy to hide your crippling depression and are defensive because you’re afraid of losing your brother to an unseen threat. Am I right?” 

She smiled knowingly at the wide-socketed skeleton in the wheelchair, and we all watched her carefully. It seemed that she had us figured out down to the letter. I bet she had blackmail info she could use on all of us if she wanted to.

Rose looked at me with a worried expression. I started to realize that this was what she was talking about before in the kitchen. I had to say something to reassure her.

“I promise ya, sweetheart,“ I whispered as I smirked at her, “reading people like a book isn’t scary. I found it’s a useful skill from where I come from. You’re no weirder than I am.”

Rose made a cute smile and her eyes shined with love. And for a second, I thought I saw a flash of pink in them too. That's the second or third time that I had seen this. What is going on? But regardless, I smiled at her reassuringly. I’d have to remind myself to ask her later about that. I had a sneaking suspicion about something and I wanted to ask her about it when my bro and the _cousins_ weren't around. Especially Classic. 

“So you basically are able to read people like a book?” Stretch asked. 

“Yep,” Kaliyah agreed. “That’s my most valuable skill when meeting new people. It allows me to know whether a person has heard the stories about me/hates me at all. I used this ability to avoid those who hate me because of my cursed reputation and might cause me harm. It’s quite useful.”

“So you read us when you met us? And that’s why you let us in your car?” Blue asked. 

“I did. Your auras are _fascinating_ , by the way. You guys are wonderful to have around,” Kaliyah said with a smile. “Sure, I originally let you in because of my sister and because I could sense you weren’t a threat, but you’ve become something more to me lately. I know that’s a lot to say for only knowing you for a few days, but it’s true.”

You could see the blush spreading across six pairs of cheekbones as they processed that statement. She might not be my love interest, but I could tell she was going to become a very good friend.

“HOLD ON,” Vanilla said suddenly, “BLUE STILL HASN’T OPENED HIS PRESENT!!”

We looked to the blue Sans to find Vanilla was right; Blue still held the green and gold package that he had been given earlier. 

"Well, open it then! You'll definitely like this one!" Rose said cheerfully. 

I REALLY wanted to hold her hand but I didn't want my _cousins_ to know about us just yet.

He ripped open the wrapping paper to find… a blue furred parka? I was confused, but he had the biggest grin on his face as he gave Kaliyah a huge hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” he cried, happy tears streaming down his skull. 

“Of course, Blue,” she replied with a smile. “I knew you would like it.” 

“I got you a parka like that forever ago, but you said you’d never wear it,” Stretch said, confused. 

Blue wiped away his tears and put on the parka before turning to his brother and saying, “Did I? I don’t seem to remember that. You never got me a parka. You got me a baggy sweatshirt that I _definitely_ would never wear because it would slow me down too much as air resistance worked against me. Alphys’ training sessions would become a nightmare. But this? This is special. It’s also great for the cold weather here on the surface.” 

“Brother, we’re skeletons. We don’t get cold,” Stretch reasoned. 

“Well then maybe I like parkas. It’s not like you’ve ever asked, brother. You really shouldn’t assume things so much.” And at that, Blue sat back down on the couch, content to stay cuddled in his new parka. 

The rest of us stared. Blue was acting so out of character since that night in the snowy weather a few days ago. What exactly had Kaliyah done to him? 

Kaliyah couldn't help but warmly smile at him. 

“Now, I think it’s time for some food, don’t you?” Rosie asked, a dreamy look on her face. “It’s been forever since I’ve been to a Lionheart feast.”

"A Lionheart feast?" I replied in curiosity. "What's that like?" 

Rose looked at me with that same dreamy look in her eyes then looked at Kaliyah for further explanation.

Kaliyah blushed and rubbed the back of her head. “It’s nothing really. It’s just food. I love cooking. Seriously though, she’s over exaggerating. It’s not that great.”

“Not that great?! Seriously?! Kali, you undersell yourself! Man, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a Lionheart feast,” she told me. “Kaliyah learned how to cook from her father, and those two were the cooking maestros. Their food is absolutely heavenly, and a feast made by the two of them was worth more than a cart of gold.”

I started to think about it more, and thought, _Well that apple pie_ **_WAS_ ** _pretty good. Maybe there's some truth behind my girl's praises._ I blushed a little. I couldn't get used to that. _My girl_ , it tasted sweet on my tongue and LOVE-ly to my non-existent ears. Heh. 

It kind of made my soul tingle a bit. Even more so when I remembered her last kiss from the kitchen. I REALLY wanted to feel that heat on my soul again! Even more than that tempting pie! What did she do to me?

“Well, Kali?” Blue asked. “Can we eat your heavenly delectables?”

She grinned. “I can’t see why not!” 

We then had a feast, everyone laughing and smiling. 

And it was delicious. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there~ Heaven again. You all are probably wondering, "Hey, where's SDF?" Well I'm sorry to say that she's currently on "probation" until further notice. I won't go into any more details than that, so~ sorry~😝  
> Anywho~ I hope you enjoyed this chapter with the Skeleton family with both of our OCs so far. And can anyone sing, "Can you feel the love tonight~?" with Rose and Fell~? 😉😍  
> And not to worry! Others in this story will have love interests as well! I'll make sure of it so don't worry your pretty little heads about it!😉😋😆  
> So until next time~  
> This is Heaven signing off~  
> And God bless 🙏😇~
> 
> EDIT: Sorry about the terrible chapter formatting. I fixed it, promise. Also fun fact, I have no idea what a tsundere is. - SDF


	10. Fell Entry I - Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fell's reaction to Christmas and a very interesting conversation with Blue.  
> (WARNING: Cringing romance mentionings courtesy of yours truly, H. S. 003 and my partner in crime SDF!  
> You have been warned and to those that have class and sass, you're welcome!!! ;) )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! It's been a while, but I'm back from the dead! Four weeks with nothing to do but sit around the house gives me a lot of free time to write fics. (Heaven dragged me back here, but once I got started, my groove came back to me. ^^D)
> 
> H.S.----(You bet your sweet biscuits I did! XD)

**December 25, 2019**

Hi there. Um… Fell here. Classic thinks it’s a good idea for us to keep a journal of our experiences here in the Lionheart house and the surface in general. I think it’s kinda stupid, but then again I used to be a scientist and do this exact same thing so I can’t really complain or I’d be what Classic calls a hypocrite. ~~I’ll show you what a hypocrite is, you stupid~~ So I’ll just do it and not make a huge argument out of it ‘cause I’m just too tired to argue these days. Besides, maybe if I write this stuff down, it’ll be easier to figure out. 

I guess I should start with how we got into this crazy mess. It was supposed to be a normal reset. I wake up and argue with Paps about going to work and eating all my lasagna (which I eat it all anyway because my bro is amazing) and then meet the human for another **STUPID GENOCIDE RUN** where everyone dies and I’m the only one left to defend the king. And for some reason, the stupid flower goes along with it. Probably too scared to say no in case the human turns on them next. But instead, I wake up in a snowdrift where a much kinder version of my brother was shaking me awake and scolding me for falling asleep in the snow where I could catch a cold, in his words. Then he takes me to go check on his real brother only to find that my Paps is yelling at a very wide-eyed Classic who has no idea what’s going on. That was a funny sight. At least, up until the part that Paps saw Vanilla carrying me. Then things got ugly. 

Apparently, the human was in the middle of a pacifist run that would end all resets, according to Classic, but he wasn’t sure if it would last. It never did before. That was one thing we agreed on. Paps and Vanilla on the other hand… Don’t get them started about whether lasagna or spaghetti is better. Just don’t. Not if you want to keep your house in an orderly manner and not covered in bone attack fragments.

Anyways… Pap and I got into a huge argument after everyone reached the surface about what our next move should be since we inevitably ended up living with our other counterparts. Believe me, it wasn't exactly our choice in the matter. I won't bore you with the details on how or what our argument was about. In the middle of the chaos with my brother, I decided to just go to Grillby's and take the EDGE off of my anger. By now, Grillby already knows what I drink when I decide to pop on over to his establishment. Pure, golden-yellow, delicious mustard with that perfect taste that only he can make. Mmmm, mustard…

Getting off-topic here. So when I enter the restaurant fuming, he already pulls out the mustard bottle and sets it at my usual spot at the bar. The next thing I know, I'm guzzling down in one take and I immediately order another one. Lucky for me that Grillbs stocked up on both mustard and ketchup for me and Classic just in case of situations such as this. Thing is, he told me to take it easy since I tend to go overboard easily. Too bad I didn't listen to him, heh….

An hour or so later and I end up a wasted mess at the counter supposedly passed out. And I didn't need to look at Grillby to know that he was ticked at me for not listening to him. I guess he just shrugged it off since I caught bits and pieces of what he said about locking up for the night and helping me get home. I was about to let him do exactly that when I suddenly got a twinge in my soul and a voice in my head telling me that I needed to be somewhere. And being as stone-cold "drunk" that I was, I listened without so much as a second thought.

As much as I could still possibly remember from that night, I just followed to the directions that the voice told me to go. Next thing I knew was that I wasn't too far from Ebott's main grocery store. I thought that this voice was going to tell me that I just needed to buy medicine or something from there. But that was the opposite of what happened. 

Now I'm going to be straight with ya, from that point on, my memory gets fuzzier and more complicated to try to bring to clarity. Anywho…. I was debating on what to do next, when I suddenly felt dizzy in the head. So I just decided to lean "casually" against the brick wall next to me. As I was drifting off, the pull on my soul tugged on me harder and the voice practically yelled at me to focus. I was about to protest, but then I felt this warm and comforting energy and lovely presence that just made my soul skip a beat and practically begged me to get closer to the source. I followed my instincts and followed the energy blindly like an idiot. Next thing I know is that I'm following a red headed girl who looked to be a college student. Great if she sees me following her, she'll call the cops on me for being a creepy stalker, I thought to myself. 

But instead of turning the other way and walking away, I spoke up and tried to flirt with her! Why, you may ask? I don't know, maybe it's because I'm an IDIOT?! Thinking back on it, I keep mentally face-palming myself for doing that. But the strangest thing happened. She didn't call the cops or yelled for help. Heck, she didn't even slap me! Which, for me, is rare. Especially since Edge is usually the one who smacks me for making a flirty pun with random monsters.

Instead, she just looked around everywhere but at me while blushing a deep crimson! Intrigued, I decided to continue flirting with her with my puns. She seemed confused but mostly embarrassed? She even laughed at some of my puns! In that exact moment, I felt my pride for my humor grow a bit larger. (Heh, sorry Paps.) But the most unexpected thing happened when I took a slight break. She made her own flirty pun right back at me! True, it needed some work, but it wasn't awful. And even though it was such a simple flirty pun, it stopped me cold in my tracks and made me blush like a little school girl in love with her first crush. Which in that situation, was probably more truth than metaphor, once you switched it to a schoolboy, that is. I tried to ease the tension by getting friendly with and put an arm around her to make her feel more comfortable. Turns out, that had the opposite effect. She seemed even more confused. And before I could apologize, I suddenly felt dizzy, and then, my world went black.

But it doesn't end there my dear readers, no. While I was passed out, I had a dream of going through an endless flower field filled with all sorts of different colors of roses. It smelled absolutely HEAVENLY! I sat down on the ground and looked up at an endless blue sky, just taking this all in. And I thought that, for the first time in a long time, that I finally had a good dream instead of those GENOCIDE RESET nightmares that constantly plagued my sleep every night. 

Truth be told, I never wanted to wake up from this dream. It was so peaceful, calm, and absolutely gorgeous! I never wanted to leave. That was until a certain plastic devil decided to wake me with its alarm bell. 

I groaned while getting up for the day. Or rather I should say afternoon. I looked around and noticed that I wasn't in my room but in an Inn room. I looked around for further information when I spotted a small note, pain medicine, and a water bottle. Whoever put these here was a wise person indeed. Because as soon as I moved around, I was met with a MAJOR hangover and felt both pain and nauseous at the same time. I quickly took some of the pills along with a good chug of the water bottle. Afterward I read the note and thought, That girl must've written this. But why would she do this for a complete stranger? A monster one at that? I quickly dismissed it, until I met up with the owner of the Inn. He told me that this girl that he knew asked him for a favor and asked him to take me in for the night. He also told me that she paid for my room and everything! I really didn't know what to say to this. Then he told me that it wasn't every day that a person like her shows up and that I should take this chance in getting to know her better. He said that he did the same thing with his wife when they were younger and to this day, they're still going strong in their marriage. I thought it was strange that an older human man was giving me advice about possibly dating a human. I mean, he did know that I was a monster right? Even to this day, I'm still confused.

So I took his advice and waited for her at the park that wasn't that far from the Inn or that alleyway that both me and my skele-family got beat up in. I sat and occasionally slept at the bench until she came, but she never did. And when it started getting colder, I decided that maybe that she changed her mind about me. And well, not too long after that, is when we got attacked. And of course, I received a lot of damage to the point of blacking out. But while I was consumed by the darkness, I thought I heard a familiar feminine voice call out to me. My soul also reacted to this and I tried, emphasis on the word "tried", to get up. But I either didn't have the strength to get up, or Boss was restricting my movements. I mostly voted on the latter once I was told that Paps got me out of there. 

When I found out that Kaliyah saved me, I thought maybe she was the girl from the inn, but something didn’t feel quite right about her. Don’t ask me what it was, I don’t know. I just knew in my bones that this wasn’t the right gal.

And of course you all know what happened next. So I'm just going to save the chit chat and say this: After that first kiss with Rose… I really think that she's my soulmate. Facts of being from two different dimensions be darned! I love this woman! And I would do anything for her. And I mean ANYTHING!!!

Although, there are times where she acts differently than usual. And I noticed that she doesn't like Classic too much. Especially when he gets on Kaliyah's case about something. Especially the fact that she's a mage…

Hold on for a sec. I want to have a second opinion on all this.

# ⋯

"HEY BLUEBERRY!!! CAN YOU COME HERE FOR A SEC?!" I yelled down the hall. 

“Uh… Sure?” Blue agreed, strolling into the room. “What is it, Fell?” 

"Well I need to ask you something. And it's kind of important."

“Kay? And that would be?” Blue asked. 

"Have you ever noticed something, I don't know, _strange_ about Rose?"

“Rose? No. Wait… Yes! Her eyes glowed pink while she was calming Kaliyah down. I accidentally startled Kaliyah and we all know what happens when you startle Kaliyah. She was about to take my head off with that frying pan of hers when Rose showed up. Man, we should really stop scaring her. Everytime we scare Kali her eyes glow some color or other and giant vines grow out of the ceiling. One of these days someone is going to end up with more than a vine in their eye, if you get my drift.” He gave me a cheeky smile, referencing what had happened the second time Kaliyah had lost control of her magic. 

"Har har. Very funny. The reason I ask this is because I thought I saw her eyes glow a flash of pink when she threatened Classic at the dinner table. Remember?"

“Oh… Well, it seems that is the signature of a mage, according to my experience,” Blue mused. “Both Frisk and Chara have glowing red eyes during battle, and there is no dispute that Kaliyah is a mage, not after she saved my life. I suppose that it would make sense for Kaliyah to attract another mage, with how powerful she is. It definitely seems plausible for Rose to be a mage.”

This took me by surprise. But when I think about it….

"But does she even KNOW that she is one? I mean the way she does things with her eyes are the same way that Kaliyah does when she didn't know that she was one."

“I don’t think any of the mages know. I mean, it looks like their magic disappeared with the monsters,” Blue pointed out. 

"Hmmmm…." I thought about it for a moment then asked, "Should we ask Rose about it?"

“Hmm… I think she and Kaliyah just left to get Rose’s things from her parents’ house. You did hear that Rose is moving in, right?” Blue checked.

And in that moment, my soul stopped beating for a second then it did a cartwheel and back. "WHAT?! How come I'm JUST hearing about this now?!" 

“Um… Kaliyah said it earlier. I think you might have passed out under your new blanket, and I don’t blame you. Those things are outrageously soft…”

"Blue…. I think you're missing the point here…" I just wanted to facepalm myself about a dozen times at how clueless he could be.

“What? Oh! Sorry. I was just remembering how Liyah reacted to the softness of my blanket when I showed her…” He stopped when he saw the confusion on my face. “Never mind. It’s nothing.” 

"Right. Point is, is that we CANNOT tell Classic about this until we know FOR SURE on what we're getting into. You know how much he'll FREAK when he finds out that there's just not one, not two, but THREE mages in Ebott city?!"

“That’s a good point. Classic _hates_ mages. We’ll have to be careful not to let him know. You ready for the New Year’s party next week? Classic got the go ahead to invite the whole crew.”

Ready was an understatement. I was STOKED for it! The food, the mustard, and I overheard Rose say that she was going to wear a "special" outfit for the occasion. Not to mention, I was DEFINITELY going to make it my life mission to get that New Year's Eve kiss from her! Unbeknownst to me, I had hearts in my eye sockets and I was starting to drool. I think Blue saw this.

“Also, um, I’m kinda worried about Frisk and Kaliyah meeting… Are you okay Fell?” Blue asked in concern. “You look a little… out of it.” Then realization dawned on him. “That kiss… It wasn’t just because of the mistletoe was it? You’re actually in love with her!” 

It was then that I snapped out of it. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about!" I looked away embarrassed and I think he saw the flush on my cheek bones.

“Uh huh. And Error hates chocolate,” Blue retorted. 

"Who?" I asked. 

“Never mind. What I mean is, I don’t believe you. You love her!”

"And like I said before, I have **no** idea what you're talking about."

Blue rolled his eyelights. “Sure… And I swing around a giant paintbrush and create AU’s while drinking magic paint.”

I raised a brow in confusion. "What-to-the-what now?! I have NO idea what you're talking about both in this case and what you just said."

“It’s nothing. Just a few old friends that I miss. Point is, you are in love with her, don’t even deny it.”

I looked away from his mischievous eyes and mumbled some choice words under my breath and said nothing else. Only proving Blue that he was right. "Just…. Whatever you do, don't tell Classic alright? I don't need him on my case on something that I can't help. Kay?"

“Sure. I wouldn’t do that to ya, pal.” Blue sat on my bed next to me. “You wanna talk about it?” 

I started to growl in protest, but my inner conscience was starting to nag at me. "Sure. Why the heck not…? What exactly do you want to talk about? Because I'll tell you this now. I ain't going to go all mushy schoolgirl talking about first crushes and whatnot. So you can forget about that!"

Blue laughed. “Yeah, that would be weird coming from you. Or any Sans besides Ink when he’s drunk on happiness. Nah, I just thought you might want to talk about it to someone. Besides your diary, of course. I promise not to judge.”

I just gave him an unsure look having absolutely no idea as to who he's talking about. But, oh well. I'll save that chat for another time. And now that I think about it, I’m surprised that none of the Papyrus behavior hasn't been coming out and how he's acting so… mature. It's almost scary. Oh well, I can bug him later about it. Right now, I just need this off my metaphorical chest.

"Okay, well first off, thanks for not makin' fun of me for this. And secondly, Rose, is probably the best thing that's happened to me so far in coming to the surface. You know, besides mustard. And actually, I knew her before you guys did."

“I get it. Also, you had mustard before the surface,” Blue teased. “How did you meet her? It didn’t have to do with your mustard drinking habits, did it?” 

"Heheheh…" I nervously responded and scratching the back of my head. "Maybe…." I said quietly.

Blue sighed. “You traditional Sanses and your weird condiment drinking. What’s up with that? Classic drinks ketchup, you drink mustard, and for _some_ reason my brother drinks honey. Where the heck did he get _honey_ underground?! Bees need flowers and flowers need sunlight!” He sighed again. “Nothing about the Underground made sense. At least things up here have some semblance of sense.”

I just rolled my eyelights. "Hey! You do you and we do us. Capisce? Anyways, do you remember the major fight that me and Edge had when I went missing that one night?”

Blue grimaced. “Ugh. How could I forget? I think the whole town heard that argument.”

I huffed, "Well, I went to Grillby's to take the _edge_ off my back, and then I did something stupid." I can see the look of disdain in Blue's face.

“You? Do something stupid? I never would have guessed!” he snarked. 

I glared at him for a split second and continued. "Well before Grillby could take me home after I drank him dry of his mustard, I felt this pull from my soul and a nagging voice tell me that I should be somewhere right then and there. And it wasn't home."

“It was wherever you felt _rosiest_ , huh?” Blue joked. 

I had to process that for a moment then snorted at his pun. When and where did he grow a funny bone?!

“I hope you’re not _thorny_. I’m just joking with ya. I don’t like seeing my friends feeling _blue_ ,” he went on, a smile on his face. 

Okay, that one. That one was pretty good. I started chuckling relentlessly. 

“Seems like you _fell_ for my puns. Definitely softened your _edge_. Sure it’s not very _classic_ of me, but I **am** a Sans just as much as you are, so is it really that much of a _stretch_?” he chuckled. 

I couldn't help it. I laughed so hard that red tears were coming out. "Okay, seriously, I couldn't help but be drawn to somewhere. And before I know it, I'm in front of Ebott's grocery store."

“Was it Walmart? I never understood why if they’re a wall-mart, they don’t sell walls…” His smile let me know that he wasn’t being serious. He knew it was just a name. He was just trying to get me to laugh. 

"Pfffffttttt… No it wasn't. It was the one where that lady freaked out when she saw Stretch drinking a bottle of honey straight.” 

“At least we had bought it first,” Blue laughed. “Otherwise we would have had an entirely different problem.” 

"Yeah, we would have. Anyways, it was then that I started to feel dizzy and was about to pass out. But then I saw her. A fiery red headed girl carrying groceries out walking right past me."

“And, being Fell, you decided you were going to go flirt with this random girl and hope that you didn’t end up getting a tooth knocked out.”

I was about to protest, but then thought it over and figured that it would've gone that way or another. I decided to keep quiet for a few seconds then continue on with my story.

"So I flirted with her for a couple of minutes and being half drunk on mustard, I expected the worst to happen. But, surprisingly, she didn't slap me. Blue, she even flirted back to me!"

“That… explains a lot, actually. She really is a monster lover. No wonder she’s Kaliyah’s best friend.”

"Blue, I don't think you realize the gravity of this situation. A girl flirted right back at me with a pun! Even monster girls slap me after just looking at them for two minutes!" Just remembering her pun sent my soul into orbit. Even now I can hardly contain the pounding of my soul! I think Blue noticed my current situation as well.

“That’s because Underfell is insane. No offense, Fell. Besides, Rose is much better than any girl monster from Underfell, as I can clearly tell by your reaction to a memory of her.”

I grumble a bit knowing that he was right. "But after that, I tried to get friendly with her but then my mind grew dark and I'm out like a light. Smooth right?" I critiqued myself.

Blue barely hid his laughter. “ _Real_ smooth,” he agreed. 

“The next thing I know I'm in some sort of Inn with pain killers right next to me on the nightstand. It had a note explaining some things but not all of it. So I go up front in the lobby and ask the older human man in charge there."

“What did he say?” Blue asked curiously. 

"He said the strangest thing Blue. He said that the girl I was flirting with brought me to the Inn and asked him a favor. And that favor was for me to stay the night till I came to. She paid for my room and everything Blue. He told me that girls that nice don't come by that often and that I should take the initiative to ask her out!"

“He’s got a point, you know. You should ask her out and not just kiss her under the mistletoe.”

I made a face of doubt. "Well even then she took the initiative and was one step ahead of me…"

“Eh. I suppose that makes up for it. She’s that kind of person, and you’re more of a follower. All Sanses are unless the things they care about are threatened. Unless we’re talking about my buddies. They listen to no one, if you know what I mean.” 

"No, no I don't…" I gave him an odd look. He's been acting weird lately. Even more than usual. But I can't think of that right now. One problem at a time Fell. One problem at a time.

"The thing is Blue, is that something happened during the kisses that we had underneath that mistletoe. And it wasn't the spirit of Christmas either."

“Like what?” Blue asked curiously.

"For some reason, when we kissed, my soul felt like power was being poured into it. Like someone left an electric blanket on it and cranked up the heat. It was... addictive…"

“Huh. That’s not a normal thing for mages to be able to do. It definitely doesn’t fall under the normal seven attributes…”

I started to stare off into space. "Do we _really_ know for certain that we know all of the humans' souls attributes? I mean, come on, pink? Have you really seen an attribute like that?!"

“Nope. And I’ve seen a lot of mages in my time. That’s a… Hold on. Mettaton’s soul is pink, if that is a soul and not just a heart-shaped light. Maybe he would know what it means!” 

Just then a figurative light bulb lit up atop of my skull. "Hey! Blue you're right! Now that I think about it, how _are_ monster ghost souls made?! Were they human once? Or just _born_ that way?! And how?!"

“I feel like I know somebody who was born a ghost, but I think that was just her family. I’m pretty sure all other ghosts, especially ones in human legends, were human at one point.” 

"If that's so, then how did they end up in the Underground like everybody else?"

“Who knows when those three actually died,” was Blue’s only explanation. 

"True. But does that mean that Rose and Mettaton are related somehow?!"

“I don’t think that’s how soul traits work. Pretty sure it has to do with their personalities, not their relatives, though that probably has some effects as they were raised by said relatives. It just depends on their circumstances in life.”

"Hmmmm… So do we ask Mettaton what he thinks before we ask Rose?"

“I think so. We’ll have to wait until the party on New Year’s Eve to ask him. Unless you just happen to know his cell?” Blue gave a doubtful look as he asked that last question. 

I looked in my contacts and surprisingly, I did! "Well, actually, I do!"

Blue stared at me. “Why the heck do you have that?! I could understand if you had Mettafell’s as he was the only other monster besides your brother to come over from your world, but Mettaton’s?! Why?!?!”

I remembered slowly as I recounted that day with Alphys at the lab.

“Hold on. Was it your Alphys, my Alphys, or Classic’s Alphys? Please say it wasn’t mine because that would get into a whole other world of crazy and hurt.” 

"I think it was Classic's. I got hurt from doing a stupid dare that Classic told me to do and I went to see her to get patched up. She told me that just in case something like that happened again and she wasn't there to help out, I should call Mettaton since he has the spare keys to the lab and I can fix myself up."

Blue sighed. “At least you have a good reason. All right. Let’s call the pompous blowhard.”

I looked at him weirdly. "I thought you liked the pompous blowhard?”

“I like his cousin, Napstabot, who actually makes good content and music. Mettaton is a jerk who doesn’t care about anyone."

I had to admit that the last part of what he said was true. But I'd still debate on the Napstabot issue. It seems personalities _transcend_ realities.

"Look, later on let's just call him and ask him. I don't like it as much as the next guy. But I need to know what sort of mage she is. And if _he_ has anything to do with it, then we need to grow a spine and get over it. And this stays between the two of us, alright?! I don't feel we should tell the others yet. Especially since either Rose doesn't want to let us know yet _or_ she also has no idea what's going on. Got it?!"

“Okay. I know I am definitely not telling any Paps or Sanses, and definitely not your brother. Can you imagine what he’d do if he found out?!”

I grimaced. I didn't even _want_ to imagine what he'd do to Rose. That very thought shook me to the core of my soul. And I think Blue saw the expression on my face.

“Then it’s settled. Edge is to know nothing about this,” Blue said determinedly. 

"Or anybody else for that matter!" I looked away, a solemn look crossing my facial features. Then a thought occurred to me. "Hey Blue, if, you ever need any help with something, like you did with me, don't hesitate to ask, alright?"

Blue said nothing for a moment before asking; “You really mean that?” 

"Yeah. I might not be the most comfortable person to talk to. But I can at least give it a shot."

“Can I ask you a theoretical question?” 

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure! Fire away!"

“What if you found out that everything you thought you knew was a lie? That you weren’t who you thought you were? That your entire life was just… wrong? And you didn’t know who you were supposed to be anymore? You were just… stuck trying to be someone you weren’t so that no one else would figure out you weren’t who you said you were.” 

"Hmmmm…" Those questions got me thinking. "Well, first, I would flip out. I think that much we can agree on. But then after a while, I would just take advantage of it. You know, use the situation to not only make my life better and how _I_ want it to be, but for everyone else as well. Get what I'm saying?" 

Blue sighed. I guess that wasn’t the answer he wanted. “Yeah. I do. What if this theoretical person was sick of hiding but didn’t want everyone to turn on him?”

"Hmmmm, well that depends on the person. Everyone has their own opinions of different things. In order for that person not to have everyone they love against them, I guess they have to portray the person they are now as someone that's better well off than the old version. And if the ones they love truly love them back, then they'd accept who they are no matter the circumstances. If they don't, it means they never really loved them truly for who they are in the first place. Does that help?"

Blue seemed to relax. “Yeah, actually. One more question. What if this person has two groups of friends: one that know the real him, and the one who knows the old him, and if they ever met, they’d probably kill each other and tear each other to pieces to try and protect this person because most of them are kill first ask questions later kind of skeletons? What do they do then? He doesn’t want to have to let any of their friends go, but he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

I raised my non-existent eyebrow and stared at him for a good few minutes, at which point he wouldn’t look me in the eye. "Well if they truly care about ya and care for your well being, they'd think twice before they do something that they'll regret doing."

I heard him mutter something about someone named Error and wishing it was that easy to get him to not do something stupid before my statement actually registered with him and his eye sockets went wide. “W-who said this was about m-me?” he stammered. “I t-told you this was entirely th-theoretical!”

I gave him a _’_ _really’_ look and crossed my arms over my chest. "Well either way, if that somebody has people that truly care about him, then they'd better think about that person before themselves first."

Blue was silent for a moment before sighing. “You don’t believe it’s theoretical, do you?” he asked defeatedly.

"I believe whatever you want me to believe, bud. You don't have to tell me now, but pretty soon you're going to have to tell one of us what's going on with you before the crud hits the fan if you know what I mean."

He gave me a strange look. “Um… What?”

I sighed. "I mean that sooner or later, you're going to have to tell one of us before things get out of hand and no one can stop it from coming."

He was silent for a moment before he spoke again; “You know, I talked to Kaliyah about my depression—”

"You have depression?! Why?! And what happened afterwards?!"

He gave me a look. “Oh, I don’t know why I’m depressed! Definitely doesn’t have to do with dying over and over again trying _and failing_ to protect my brother from a human psychopath!” He sighed. “Anyway, I was talking to her about my depression—which she called me out on, by the way—when she passed out and so we didn’t really get to talk about much besides my memories of the resets and how my AU used to be an Undertale universe until something went wrong—”

"Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah. Hold the presses. Explain to me what happened before you go off on a tangent on me, okay?" 

He sighed and looked a little sad. He explained everything he told Kaliyah but nothing more. All I have to say to that is, "That is… FREAKING COOL!!!"

He gave me a funny look. “You really think so? My world getting turned upside down is… cool?”

"Well not when you put it that way! I'm talking about how you're the only one that remembers the original timeline and can do whatever the heck you want and no one will be the wiser because **IT’S YOU!!!** "

“Tell that to Stretch,” he said bitterly.

"Why? What'd he do?" I asked confused. Then it hit me. "Oh, right. He locked you in your room. Sorry about that."

He waved it off. “It’s fine. I’ve gotten used to it. A lot of people underestimate me because of my looks and my supposed personality, but in reality…” He looked around before whispering, “Can you keep a secret?” 

I gave him a look and said, "Yeah, sure. What is it?"

“So, um, remember how my world got messed up and stuff? Well, it attracted an, um, _unsavory character._ ” 

I squinted my brow bones together and gave him a look that said, _do tell_. "What sort of _unsavory_ character?"

“A, um, destroyer of worlds,” he said sheepishly. 

I choked on the air that I was breathing in and said, "A WHAT?! Blue! What in the world(s) are you talking about?!"

“A world like mine has never existed before or after. The destroyer believed that all worlds except for the original Undertale were trash, clutter, and tried to get rid of mine. He killed everyone except me and Stretch, but he never actually finished destroying the world.” 

"Including my world?" I asked.

“That’s debatable. Anyhoo, the reason he never destroyed the world was… me.” He looked at me sheepishly. 

"What exactly did you do to him?" I asked carefully.

“I, um… This is gonna sound really stupid, but… I offered to be his friend so that he would stop trying to use me to kill Stretch, and it threw him off so much he left Stretch in our AU alone and took me to a place called the Antivoid.”

I stared at him for a good few minutes, then said, "Pfffffttttt, hahahahahaha!!!! Oh that's rich!!! Pure gold!!! That's something that you would _definitely_ do! Hah!" I almost keeled over laughing at his expense.

Blue glared at me. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. It was the only thing I could think of. This guy was obviously alone, and I wanted to do something about it, especially if it meant that he would stop hurting people. And he did, for a while, but then I kinda… chased him off by accident. I used every weakness I’d found against him—mostly his loneliness and wish for a friend and stuff—and then he left me alone in the Antivoid with Chara’s soul. Thing is, when you’re left alone in the Antivoid, things… happen.” He sighed and pulled his knees up to his chest. “It changes you in ways you couldn’t imagine.” 

“First off, WHY did you do that? And secondly, in what sort of ways?”

“Because… I don’t remember exactly why. I just did, and I regretted it for a long time. You see, people aren’t supposed to exist in the Antivoid. It brings you too close to non-existence. And eventually… well, let’s just say that the silence was deafening. It tears you apart from the inside out until you barely know who you are anymore, and then it stops, and it’s replaced by the voices. Ah, geez, can those guys talk!” He chuckled over a fond memory before continuing, not allowing me to speak; “I waited for a long time for Err—the destroyer to come back, but he didn’t. Not for a long time. And so the silence got to me, and I started to hear the voices like he did. It wasn’t long after that I got my first glitch.” He laughed mirthlessly. “That was when I started freaking out.” 

I blinked and grabbed his shoulders forcing him to look at me. 

“What?” he asked, confused. 

“Look, despite whatever you did to him, you didn't deserve that. That was totally uncalled for. The next time you see him, let me know so that I can chew his ears out. No one does that to a pal without repercussions."

He laughed. “Yeah, don’t worry. Everyone else chewed him out for it already, and once he actually warmed up to me, he apologized like fifty times over and got me chocolate a bunch of times to make up for it. He didn’t know it would turn me into a glitch. If he had, he wouldn’t have done it. Now that I’m actually trying to remember, he left because he thought I had been lying about wanting to be his friend. Turns out he had never had a friend before and didn’t know how to treat one.”

"Chocolate and being a loner… who is he supposed to be, Chara?"

That made Blue laugh. “That’s a good one. No, those two literally hate each other. His name is Error, and he’s a glitch like me, and when he’s destroying AU’s, he actually takes out the humans and the flower first so that they can’t reset. 

“Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone his destroying of AU’s, but what’s a Sans to do when your best friend does something stupid? You go with him and make sure that he doesn’t hurt himself. 

“You should have seen the day I met Ink. Error stumbled out a portal sobbing and I dropped the tacos I had been making to go check on him. You see, Error has severe haphephobia, and only me and his brother Geno can touch him. Turns out, the multi-colored skeleton who followed him through the portal had touched him and, well, he hated Ink. They barely tolerate each other these days as it is. But I didn’t know what Ink wanted so I wrapped him up in my strings and strung him up like a puppet! Man, did we have a good laugh about that once that was over.” He sighed contentedly, remembering his friends. 

I gave him a small smile. Then asked, "Do you guys have as much fun talking about things like this and crushes too?" I asked teasingly.

He nodded. “Yeah, you should have seen Ink when he was trying to deny having a crush on Drawing!Frisk. He was so flustered, but Nightmare and Dream knew right off the bat. They read emotions, you know. In fact, the right emotions can weaken them to the point they can be captured. Now _that_ was a hectic week!” 

"And does this _Destroyer of Worlds_ have a crush as well? I asked curiously.

Blue thought about that. “Well, he’s a little too shy to ever tell anyone he actually liked them, though I think I’ve seen him stealing glances at Core, not that he’d ever admit it.” He chuckled. “And then there’s good old Cross and his invisible friend. He’s not imaginary. We’ve seen enough evidence to prove that.”

"So, what's preventing you from contacting your other friends while we're here?"

His face fell and he slumped. “Well, first off, I… didn’t remember them. At all. Something made me forget. At least, it did, until…”

"Until Kaliyah reminded you?" I asked, finishing his sentence for him.

He chuckled. “You could say that. It was actually when she saved my life. When I woke up, I remembered everything, and I realized just how wrong I was acting. I’m Blueberry the glitch, ally of the creator, the destroyer, the world thief, and the embodiments of positivity and negativity, one of the three Star Sanses. I shouldn’t be acting like an idiot who doesn’t know what he’s doing! No offense to Paps, of course.” 

"Eh, no offense taken. But you gotta admit that even Paps has his moments." I gave him a cocky smirk.

“True,” he allowed, “But, I’m not Papyrus. The other reason is I actually can’t. It’s like there’s a--”

Suddenly we heard Kali's voice coming from downstairs for us to help out. She must've come back with Rose's things. I wonder what sorts of things she has…

"Well I think we should go help out. Don't you?" I asked, ending the conversation.

“Yeah. You won’t tell the others about me?” he checked.

"Heh. You can say that my _lips_ are sealed." I joked.

He snickered. “Thanks. I _really_ didn’t want to sew your mouth shut with magic string.”

"That would just be my luck wouldn't it? Heh!"

“Don’t worry,” he smirked as he made his way to the door. “I wouldn’t actually do that. That would be counterproductive, don’t you think? They’d ask about what happened to you, and then my cover would be blown.” He sighed. “Maybe next time, we can talk about the ghost of younger Kaliyah in my bedroom that only I can see. She said something about it being because I’m a glitch, but I’m not so sure.”

I stared at him while he just walked down the stairs. I slowly shook my head with a smirk. "Only you can manage to find trouble without breaking a sweat!" I ran after him hoping to catch up to him and the sooner I do, the sooner I get to see Rose! I think he noticed this because he had this cocky and teasing smirk on his bony face and suddenly, I saw the word _ERROR_ appear in black all-caps over his left eye socket for a moment before disappearing again. 

It was official. This place is full of more mysteries than you could tip a hat at, but I’m okay with that. After all, this is my home, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, um, yeah. Blue thought it was a good idea to talk to Fell because Fell has had to hide himself in his world too. In Fell's case, it was so they didn't get killed, but you get the gist of it.
> 
> Basically Fell wasn't sure what to make of his situation with H. S.003's brain child Rose. So he asked somebody who was equally having problems like he has. But of course, he didn't know that then. He just called Blue because he had a hunch that Rose might be a mage and seeing as how Blue has no problem with mages, (unlike a certain a certain Classic), he decided to ask him for advice.  
> But unbeknownst to him, he was going to lift a certain Blueberry's problems off his skele-shoulders.
> 
> And so now our dear readers, we are coming to the conclusion of our holiday specials. Next episode is our New Year's party! And guess who reunites with Kali~? Also, will the next epic holiday kiss be shared between our love birds? Or is there more romance to come~? Stay tuned our dear readers and you may find out~ ;)
> 
> HeavenSent003 and SDF OUT *Mock salutes to readers and leaves the room*


	11. New Year's Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The New Year's party gets a little out of wack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there readers~  
> Heaven here~  
> And I'm here to present our long waited chapter of Broken Bones.  
> Now I know what you're thinking. "Why isn't SDF telling us this?"  
> To answer your question. I just simply have more to say.  
> And also, I have spoilers for the next chapter! Maybe.  
> But you'll have to read the end notes to find out!😝
> 
> The song that Kali sings is Shattered by Blanca. It's a good song and I suggest that you check it out. - Shards
> 
> (P.S. I suck at author's notes. That's why I have Heaven do it mostly. XD - SDF)

_DING DONG!_

"Hey, Sans?" Kaliyah called from the kitchen. "You wanna get the door? I just finished the last bit of our feast!"

"Sure," Sans said, rolling his wheelchair into the entryway. 

"Think our friends will like the mages?" Blue asked Fell as they watched Sans roll toward the door.

"Don't know. If not, do you think Kaliyah fireproofed the house?"

"I think so. Remember? She thinks her powers are a safety hazard."

"Hmmmm, yeah, I guess so. But I don't think WE'RE fireproof. So let's be on our skeletal feet for anything."

"Agreed. And an eye socket should be kept out for wayward vines."

Fell cringed at that rubbing one of his sockets out of instinct. "Yeah, not LOOKING forward to that little showdown again."

"Um… Can one of you open this door?" Sans asked the duo. "This wheelchair isn’t doing me any favors and you know how Kaliyah is with us using our medical equipment when she says to."

Fell sighed, "I'll get it, but if it's that pink tin can again, I'm going to have a few choice words with him!" 

"Don’t worry, I won’t let him prank you again. I have strings for a reason, remember?" Blue said. 

Fell went to the front door and said with a glare, "That's not why I'm mad with him." He opened the door to reveal the monsters he knew all too well.

"Hello, Fell," Toriel said politely. "Sans. I am looking forward to meeting your… friends." 

"They’re still not imaginary, Tori," Sans said with a smile. "They’re in the kitchen. Did you bring the whole gang?" 

"Even Mettafell. He was excited to see Fell again," she said in confirmation, leading a group of monsters into the house. 

_Great, just great. Okay, Fell, control your emotions and try not to blast half the house away because of that pink tin can,_ Fell thought to himself.

"Fell!" came the voice of the four-armed Mettafell with a big grin on his face, startling Fell out of his thoughts. "How have you been doing?" 

He had his usual lazy sharp-toothed smile on his face. "Pretty good considering that I was at Death's door-step almost a week ago."

"I heard about that! I was so worried I was gonna lose my Underfell pal!" 

"Heh, well you ain't getting rid of me just yet. Apparently someone else had other ideas."

"Yeah! Where is the girl who saved your life? I wanna thank her for saving my bud!" he said, looking around for Kaliyah.

"Well, like Classic said, she's in the kitchen with her friend that's also joining us for this get-together. I think you'll like her too. She's a real monster lover. Neat huh?"

"Yeah! That’s super cool! I mean, everyone seems to like me because I look like Mettaton, but I want someone to like me for me, you know?" Mettafell said. 

"Well, don't worry about that pal. You're nothin' like him. Heck, he even tried to flirt with said girl! Was about to blast him to non-existence," Fell grumbled.

"Thank goodness I’m not like him too. He’s kinda a jerk to me and his cousin. I mean, he loves his cousin, but he just doesn’t know how to treat him." 

"Heya, Mettafell," Napstablook said as he floated over. "Still hiding from Edge?" 

"Ever since he tried to turn me into scrap metal, yeah. He’s not gonna do that again, is he?" Mettafell asked Fell.

"Nah, I told him to be on his best behavior today. So you're in the clear." Fell reassured.

Mettafell sighed in relief. "So… who’s this girl you were talking about?"

Fell blushed a tiny bit of red and looked the other way and said, "Well she's apparently the best childhood friend of the gal that saved me. And, uh, get this. They're both redheads. Although she has the colors of a flame. Which is pretty hot if you ask me." He said that last part in a whisper so no one heard him except Blue. He, of course, already knew and rolled his eyelights and made a cheeky smile at Fell to which Fell responded with an eye-roll himself and blushed a little harder. 

"HELLO, EVERYONE!!!" Papyrus cried as he came into the living room from the kitchen. "KALIYAH IS FINISHING UP A FEW LAST PIES BEFORE SHE INTRODUCES HERSELF. FELL, ROSE IS LOOKING FOR YOU. YOU SHOULD PROBABLY GO FIND HER." 

Fell thought his Soul was about to burst when he heard those words. "I-I'm comin'!"

"All right, lover boy," Blue whispered as he pulled the red skeleton along. "Let’s go find your blooming red rose." 

Fell blushed a little harder at this and punched the side of Blue's arm for that quip, making Blue laugh. 

"Don’t make me string you from the ceiling again," he joked. 

"Just because you almost died doesn't mean I'll go easy on you! You hear me Blueberry!" Fell quietly hissed back.

"You wouldn’t have to. I’d have your soul halfway across the room and you strung from the ceiling again," he teased. 

"Hey! How was I supposed to know that you would attack me like what your other dimensional friend told you how to if I startled ya?!"

"I told you that Error taught me how to use my powers, didn’t I?"

"Last time I checked, no! No, you didn't!" Fell hissed.

"Huh. I could have sworn I told you more about Error. Ah, well, that can be remedied," Blue said with a smile. "He’s actually a real sweetheart underneath all that gruffness and homophobia."

Fell raised a brow bone at this. "Well anyways let's see what the girls want us for."

"She wanted you, last time I checked. I’m just the escort." 

Fell growled slightly and asked, "How the heck are you my escort and why?"

"If you had stayed in there any longer, somebody would have noticed that red face of yours—Hello, Rose! I found your knight in shining armor for you!" 

Fell whipped his head around to see his fiery angel to be right in front of him. Looking nervous?

Rose giggled at Blue's silliness, "Thank you Blue. But I'd like to talk to Fell alone if you don't mind?"

"I don’t," he replied as he left the room. "I have to go tell a friend that everyone is here anyway. She’s excited to meet another ghost."

Fell chuckled, knowing just who he was talking about. Liyah was ecstatic about meeting monsters, and the fact that things kept flying around the upstairs as she celebrated just cemented his belief in that fact, even if he couldn’t actually see her. 

"So… you were looking for me?" he asked Rose, his one true love. 

"Well I was actually wondering if you anything about Souls?"

"Oh? Why is that, Rosebud?" he asked. 

She giggled at the cute nickname, "Well, last night, I was thinking about you and then something happened."

"Like what?" he asked curiously.

She looked a bit embarrassed but proceeded, "Well I was thinking about that kiss we had and the emotions I was feeling during that time. And I was reliving all of it, and in that one single moment when I closed my eyes and actually FELT those emotions again. The next thing I know, all of my stuff is levitating and circling around me like a mini-tornado! I felt something warm on my chest and looked down to see a glowing pink heart! I was hoping that you would know something about how Souls work."

"You know, Blue and I were talking and, don’t tell anyone, but we think you _might_ be a mage," Fell said quietly. "You know, like Kaliyah, except a different kind."

She grew quiet, too quiet. Then her lip started to quiver like she was about to cry.

"Rosebud?" he asked worriedly. "What’s wrong?"

She didn't look at him in the eye but continued, "I was afraid of that."

"Oh, Rosebud," Fell said kindly, putting a hand on her cheek and making her look him in the eye. "It’s okay. I don’t care if you’re a mage. I love you just the way you are, my beautiful angel."

She smiled kindly at him, but the look of worry and sadness was still in her eyes. "I appreciate you for everything you said. But you don't get it. I… I already sorta knew that I was a mage. I wasn't completely sure that it would be me specifically, but I had a gut feeling."

"Then what’s wrong, my sweetheart?" he asked. 

"It means that my suspicions about Kali's and my family are true. And what's going to happen next," she said darkly.

"What do you mean, what is going to happen next?" 

She looked at him sadly and was trying to blink back the tears that were threatening to fall. 

"Well for starters, I should tell you what happened before, during, and after the war of the monsters. Because even the most detailed history books can't tell the story that I'm about to share."

"Oh? And what would that be?" he asked curiously.

"A long time ago, before the war started and monsters and humans lived in harmony, a prophecy was foretold by Brigham Young that within twenty some years, there was to be chaos and corruption amongst the main mages Souls and would inevitably start the paranoia of the monsters taking over the world and destroying mankind. And if they didn't listen to what he said that needed to be done to prevent that from happening, then the corruption would spread like wildfire. Everyone pretty much ignored the prophet and his teachings. The prophet didn't know what to do but pray to God hoping that He would have the solution. And He did! Heavenly Father told him in a dream that he would create a new Soul trait and that his newborn daughter would be the first mage of Passion. She would be full of love, care, sensitivity, and fairness. The prophet asked him, ‘Why? Wouldn't she become corrupt as well along with our mage brethren?’ The prophet couldn't bear the thought of his own child being the downfall of a race of living beings. God told him that this mage trait would be special. They wouldn't be affected by the ways of corruption, for their love of life would be too great for even Death to touch.

"But God told him that he would need to keep her and his Soul traits a secret from the others and train his daughter in the ways of the righteous. If she were to be discovered before her intended time, she would perish to those who wish to see her and the rest of his family dead. For unlike the other mages who receive their Soul traits randomly, this trait of Passion will only be in his family starting with him and his daughter.

"Nine months later, the prophet's wife gave birth to a red haired baby girl with two odd colored eyes. One green and one blue. And instead of crying when born, she laughed, welcoming life with open arms. 

"The prophet knew that his dream was correct. And so, for the next twenty some years, he trained her just like God had instructed. But unbeknownst to the prophet, his daughter had made good friends with two goat monster children. She told them about her secret and asked for them not to tell anyone. They promised and through the years the children grew close together. The girl had even gotten the two goat children together and was there for their wedding. But their joy was short lived. For that was when the war started. 

After many years of battle and the loss and the sealment of the monsters, the girl knew it was her time. She proclaimed with her tremendous amount of power, ‘I am the Mage of Passion! A mage that was created by the hands of God to put a stop of the corruption of you unworthy mages. And by proclamation of God Himself, you and your descendants shall pay for your mistakes. And for those who will receive your Soul traits the strongest shall release the monsters by punishment of limbo. That will be till the time that my descendant, who shall receive my Soul trait the strongest, shall aid a pure of heart mage who shall bring them back from Death's grip. And it is by the new combined powers that they shall defeat the great evil of corruption that has inflicted upon your very Souls!’ 

"And with that said, the mages felt great pain in their Souls. This pain was the signal that what the girl said was true. And with that, both her and her family was shunned by the rest of the villagers. And it wasn't till over a hundred years later that all forgot about the Mage of Passion and her prophetic warning. Even her own family had forgotten about her, except for the select few who were strong in the ways of magic and prophecies. 

"And that's where I come in. For my grandma, one of the select few, told me of this story because she believed that I was destined for great things. And that I was the possible Mage of Passion to aid the pure hearted mage. I didn't get it at first, but now, I do. And the fact that Kaliyah is most likely the pure hearted mage and seeing as what happened to her family just means one thing."

She grew somber at what her next choice of words were to be. "It means that most likely that her siblings were mages as well and that the great evil was going to corrupt them again. Thus, preventing the release of the monsters. But someone must've seen this happening beforehand and saved them from corruption. But in turn… they are now lost to the limbo. For now." She started to cry thinking about what torture Kali's siblings must be going through.

Fell stared at her. "That… Wow… That’s insane. So Kaliyah’s family wasn’t a coincidence, was it?" 

Rose looked down sadly. "No, no, it wasn't. I guess it was only a matter of time." Rose looked down to Fell. "I just don't know what to do anymore. One hand I want _so_ badly to help Kali. But on the other hand, I'm scared at what will happen later on. Like if I'll screw something up or accidentally make someone upset. Fell, I'm _SCARED_." She fell down on her knees and started to sob into her hands. Not caring who heard her now.

"Oh, Rosebud, it’s okay to be scared," Fell said as he wrapped his arms around her. "It’s what you do with that fear that counts. Doing the right thing in spite of fear is what courage is, sweetheart, and I know that under all that passion, courage is what’s kept you going, along with the kindness in your heart, and your integrity and perseverance and determination, and not to mention your sense of justice that’s helping fixing the monster situation, and your patience with Kali as she figures out her magic, all of you. Heck, I bet my bottom dollar that passion is a mix of all of the traits, because I’ve seen them all in you. And if you can get up after you fall down, we can beat the darkness. I’m not going to let you fight it alone, Rose. I promise."

Rose looked up to him with tears streaming down her face but had made a quiet small small on her face. "You really think so, Fell?"

"I don’t think so," Fell said determinedly. "I know so."

"Is this a bad time?" Blue asked. "I mean, I know we’re fixing fears and stuff, but she looks like she needs a hug, and my Swap instinct kicked in."

Rose's smile widened and she let out a giggle.

"So… is that a yes to the hug or…" Blue looked confused, his star eyelights spinning in his eye sockets as he tried to calculate what was going on. 

"Yes, now come here ya big blue lug!" Rose said with happiness.

Blue, grinning like the Swap!Sans he was supposed to be, pulled her into a hug and lifting her off her feet with hidden strength. Rose giggled while being lifted off her feet and looked to Fell with her one arm stretched out for him, motioning for him to join in on the hug. Who was Fell to refuse this opportunity? A wry chuckle slipping out as he followed the prompting, he smiled as he was held by his friends. This was perfect. He never wanted to leave. 

Then an idea popped in Rose's head and she mischievously smiled. She whispered her idea to Blue and made the same look. He put them down and left them alone. 

Rose turned to Fell and asked, "Um, Fell? I had this idea just now but if you don't like it, you can say no if you want."

"Hm?" he hummed curiously. "And what would that be, honey lemon?"

She giggled at the nickname. "Well I was wondering if I can prove a theory of mine. With you as the catalyst."

"Anything for you, my precious gem," he said immediately. If he could help her, by golly he was going to do it. 

She smiled, "Okay, close your eyes and don't open them no matter what. Okay?"

"Okay," he said, closing his eyes. 

She smiled affectionately. Closing her eyes and concentrating, she bent down and kissed him on the lips, but her lips and eyes started to glow pink. She thought in concentration and sent her magic down to his Soul.

Fell suddenly felt so… warm and sleepy, to the point it was setting off alarm bells in his head, but he didn’t care. All he wanted was more of this feeling, this… perfection and warmth that made him feel like the rest of the world didn’t matter. It was so… enchanting… so… 

And then she pulled away, and it ended. Fell found himself wishing for more, wanting to reach out and pull her back into the kiss, but stopped himself. This had been a test, and the results were clear. Passion was dangerous. Extremely dangerous. 

"So what's the result my Mustard man~?" Rose cooed.

"I, uh… I think I need to sit down before I collapse," he muttered. "It was an emotional overload… You’re one dangerous kitty, that’s for sure…"

Rose giggled. "And _you_ can look forward to more of that at midnight, _big boy_ ," she said with a mischievous and seductive smile.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart…" he slurred as he clung to the wall for support. 

She laughed. "Fell, I didn't know you had a Brooklyn accent." She giggled.

"He doesn’t. Now, you’re going to explain to me what you just did to him before this Blaster puts a hole through you," came a low and dangerous voice from behind her. 

She turned around and smiled kindly and patiently at Sans in his wheelchair, his eye socket glowing blue, not in the least bit afraid of him. "Hello Sans. I didn't do anything harmful. I just gave him a taste of my magic."

That was the wrong thing to say as his expression turned darker. "Well then, _mage_ , you have ten seconds to undo whatever voodoo you did before you get incinerated. One." 

At this Fell, fully awakened once more, stood defensively in front of Rose. "That’s enough, Classic. I gave her permission. There is no need for you to get violent." 

Sans looked shocked. "You… gave… Why in the world would you do that?! Are you insane?!" 

"No. I’m trying to help someone I care about figure out what has been happening to them. But then again, you wouldn’t know what that’s like, would you, Classic?" he snarled, summoning a Blaster in case things got ugly. 

Sans looked between the duo and scowled. "Your brother is going to be hearing about this," he threatened before rolling back into the living room to find Edge. 

Fell relaxed only slightly, allowing the Blaster to disappear as he slumped against the wall. "I’m dead…" he mumbled. "I am _so_ dead…" 

Rose looked worried and sad as she approached her skeletal love. "If your brother really cares about you, he'll understand. Heck, Kaliyah doesn't even know I'm a mage yet and I'm more than confident that she'll accept me for who I am. You just have to believe that he'll do the same for you. No matter how loud or grumpy he may seem." She giggled at the last part. "Plus, he may already know that I was a mage even before I knew," she said nervously.

"You’re sure he’s not going to kill you or me?" he asked, looking up at her. 

"Well do you remember when I said that my powers went haywire in my room?"

"Yeah. Why?" His eye sockets went wide. "Please tell me he didn’t—"

Rose nervously rubbed her left arm. "He did. At first I was scared and didn't know what to do. But he saw me. He made a strange face but oddly enough, he didn't say anything. He just walked away. It was like he was giving me time to organize my thoughts. And pretended that he didn't see anything."

"Huh. He’s not normally like that… Maybe he does like you," Fell said hopefully. "Maybe he won’t kill us both." 

"KILL YOU BOTH FOR WHAT, FELL?" Edge asked as he followed Sans into the hallway. 

"See? She’s a dangerous mage and she used magic on Fell!" the invalid skeleton cried. "She shouldn’t stay here! What about the others?! Who else could she hurt or turn into mindless zombies?!" 

Rose couldn't contain herself any longer. She laughed hysterically at his words. "Mindless zombies?! That might be your best joke yet Sans!"

Edge raised a bonebrow at Sans. "YOUR DANGEROUS ROGUE MAGE IS ROSE? HAVE YOU GOTTEN YOUR EYES CHECKED? SURE, SHE’S A MAGE. BLUE AND I CAUGHT HER LOSING CONTROL OF HER POWER THIS MORNING. BUT DANGEROUS? SHE’S ABOUT AS DANGEROUS AS KALIYAH, IF NOT LESS. SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT SHE’S DOING. HOW COULD SHE BE DANGEROUS?" 

"Exactly! Her magic could lash out at any moment!" Sans protested. "We should--" 

"SO WE TRAIN THEM BOTH SO THEY ARE NO LONGER DANGEROUS," Edge proposed. "BLUE HAS BEEN TRYING TO HELP KALIYAH WITH HER MAGIC ON HER OFF TIME AND FELL OBVIOUSLY IS TRYING TO HELP ROSE. BLUE TOLD ME WHAT WAS GOING ON NO MORE THAN AN HOUR AGO. YOU DON’T WANT TO MESS WITH SOULMATES AND THEIR MAGIC, DO YOU, CLASSIC?" 

"S-soulmates?!" he exclaimed, his gaze flickering between the three of them, his bravado fading. "But she’s a--" 

"A MAGE, THE CLOSEST A HUMAN WILL EVER GET TO A MONSTER. I PERSONALLY APPROVE OF IT. IT MEANS THAT SOMEONE WILL BE KEEPING FELL OUT OF TROUBLE WHEN I’M NOT AROUND," Edge said, looking at Rose. "I DO EXPECT REPORTS THOUGH. AND RANDOM KISSES ARE TO BE SHARED IN FRONT OF OTHERS WHERE YOU CAN BE SUPERVISED AND WITHIN SCREAMING DISTANCE OF SOMEONE IN CASE OF TROUBLE, AS PER STANDARD DATING RULES. DO YOU BOTH UNDERSTAND ME?" 

Fell nodded, relieved that Edge wasn’t mad. "Absolutely, Boss!" 

Rose's eyes watered and gave a cheerful and loving smile. "Awwww, Edge, sweetie! Thank you for understanding and everything you're doing!!!"

"NOW THERE IS ONE MORE REQUIREMENT FOR THIS," he went on. "YOU HAVE TO GO TELL PEOPLE. I DON’T WANT ANYMORE MISUNDERSTANDINGS LIKE THIS BUFFOON HERE." He gestured to the flabbergasted Sans next to him. "YOU ARE ANNOUNCING YOUR RELATIONSHIP TONIGHT AT THE PARTY AND THAT ROSE IS A MAGE. WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER MONSTER HUMAN WAR ON OUR HANDS. THIS ISN’T ROMEO AND JULIET." 

Fell wasn’t sure which was more astounding: the fact that Edge had read Romeo and Juliet at some point or that he wasn’t mad at him for loving Rose. 

Rose ran up to Edge to give him a big bear hug and a kiss on the cheek bone. "Thank you SOOOOOOO much, big brother. I'll do my _ABSOLUTE_ best to control my magic better!"

Edge, flustered at being called brother, tried to hide the blush on his cheekbones. "WELL, IT’S THE LEAST I COULD DO AFTER ALL YOU’VE DONE FOR US IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. I’VE GOTTEN CONSIDERABLY LESS GLARES FROM THE POLICE AS I PASSED THEM LATELY, AND YOU _ARE_ THE CAUSE OF IT. NOW, YOU STILL HAVE TO GO TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW. GET OUT THERE AND LET THE OTHERS KNOW. OH, AND PLEASE NO MORE MAGIC KISSES. MY BROTHER LOOKS LIKE HE’S ABOUT TO PASS OUT."

Rose giggled at that. "Yes, sir, big brother sir!" She stood up straight in a mock salute.

“GET GOING, BOTH OF YOU, BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND. AND FIND KALIYAH WHILE YOU’RE AT IT. SHE DISAPPEARED MAYBE TEN MINUTES AGO.”

Rose started to get worried. It isn't like Kali to just disappear without a good reason. She immediately grabbed Fell's jacket sleeve and ran off to find her. Leaving Sans and Edge in the dust behind them. 

Blue found the lover duo searching for their mage friend, a smile on his face. “So… how’d it go? I’m sorry I told Edge about you and Rose, but he confronted me about it and I couldn’t just lie! It goes against my very nature!”

"Oh, Blue, sweetie,” Rose said sweetly, “you did wonderful. Although, we could've picked a better time with Sans. But anywho. Have you seen Kali? Edge said that she went missing ten minutes ago."

“Huh. No… I thought she was going to come out after she finished the finishing touches on her feast for the party. Why would she disappear?” Blue asked, sounding a tad nervous. 

"I don't know, and I hate to say this, but can you get our guests to come search for her?" Rose pleaded.

“Sure! But did you check all of her favorite hang outs first? I’ve seen her in the back room with the piano more often this week. Said something about missing a girl named Iridessa. Do you know anything about anyone named Iridessa?” Blue asked. 

Rose suddenly had a saddened face. "Oh, I think she misses her younger sister. I do as well. We used to sing and dance together in our spare time."

“You think she might be back there right now?” Blue asked. 

Fell looked to Rose and began to usher her to where the piano room was before she started to cry again. “C'mon doll, let's see if we can find her," Fell said in an attempt to reassure her, Blue on their tail. 

It didn’t take long for them to hear the music of a gifted pianist from the library as they approached. They opened the door to find Kaliyah masterfully playing the keys, a melody played from her heart as she sang softly to herself:

_“I have seen valleys, the lowest of lows._

_I have felt heartache that would not let go._

_I have been shaken deep in my soul._

_I have been broken more than you know.”_

“Huh,” Blue remarked from the doorway. “This is the first time she’s actually tried to play it. She’s pretty good.” 

Rose started to hum along with the tune. But low enough to where she wouldn't be noticed by Kali.

_“But here I am still standing,_

_So believe me when I say…”_

Suddenly, as their friend kept singing, the faint blue outline of a girl in a tutu and ballet slippers appeared behind Kaliyah while Kaliyah’s eyes glowed a deep blue. The girl began to dance along with the music as it continued. 

_“If you shatter,_

_Every piece of you that's on the floor_

_He can restore!_

_And after,_

_You'll be even stronger than before!_

_He can restore_

_What is shattered!”_

The trio in the doorway were speechless as more silhouettes appeared in the room, each a different color, each corresponding to a person in the photos in Kaliyah’s closet on the top shelf. All, but one. There was no green figure. They all began to do their own thing, but kept an ear out for the music that they all seemed to be listening to. 

_“If I am still here standing_

_You can believe me when I say_

_That He is more than able_

_To redeem Your every pain!”_

Both Blue and Fell looked to each other in amazement, but Rose looked on in sadness and sympathy for her dear friend and sister in arms.

“W-what… What is going on?” asked a worried voice behind them, one Fell and Blue immediately recognized as Toriel. 

"Oh, hey, Tori. We're not exactly sure. I think Kaliyah is having a moment to herself or something," Fell replied. 

"I don't think it's something to worry about. We've seen her worse,” Blue said nonchalantly.

“You mean, she’s actually a mage like Sans said?” Tori asked in alarm. 

“Yes, but it’s not a bad thing,” Blue replied quickly, trying to avoid a panic. “She’s actually very--What are you doing, Frisk?” 

The young teen stepped into the room, seemingly entranced as the music came to a close alongside Kaliyah’s melodic singing: 

_“If you shatter,_

_Every piece of you that's on the floor_

_He can restore!_

_And after,_

_You'll be even stronger than before!_

_He can restore, oh!_

_If you shatter,_

_Every piece of you that's on the floor_

_He can restore._

_And after,_

_He will make you stronger than before!_

_I know He'll restore_

_What is shattered!”_

After Kaliyah played the last note and began to stare at the piano with sadness in her dark blue glowing eyes, Frisk approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. That’s when the formerly soft atmosphere suddenly had a dark edge to it. Something was wrong. 

Kaliyah turned sharply, her eyes going from blue to green to blazing gold in an instant as she stared the teen down, making Frisk seem small to the others. 

_“It’s_ **_you_ ** _…”_ she hissed, taking in every detail of the teen. _“I thought I told you to stay away from people other than your beloved monsters.”_

“Yeah, well, I was never very good at following orders, was I?” Frisk retorted, startling those in the door. Frisk had never spoken before. What was going on?

 _“Perhaps I should teach you a lesson,”_ she mused, standing up slowly, seemingly in no hurry. _“How long do you think it would set your little_ **_perfect ending_ ** _back if I ended you here and now?”_

Frisk’s eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t dare.” 

_“Are you really so sure about that? I bet that ending you would draw out the kind one that I’ve been searching for for years… Shall we see if she cares enough to protect you?”_

“She is _dead_ ,” Frisk snarled, her eyes glowing red. “ **You** _killed_ her.”

 _“Did I? I don’t remember saying that I did,”_ Kaliyah said with a malicious grin, leading the others to think that maybe this _wasn’t_ Kaliyah, at least, not truly, not in spirit. _“The kind one has been missing for ages. I never said she was dead. I saw her here, in this house, no less than six days ago.”_

Frisk’s expression turned to one of realization. “She’s… _alive_?!” 

_“Not for long… Not when I get my hands on her. Until then, it’d be fun to watch you struggle back to this point after your death.”_

Rose just had enough of this. She knew that before them was the corruption from long ago. She marched in, grabbed Kali's hand, and squeezed it harshly. "Remember me, you witch?!" She snapped as she looked dead in the eyes of the evil one.

Kaliyah turned to Rose, her smile widening. _“You’re the meddling Passion that has been shielding the house the last few days, stopping me from tracking my prey. I must thank you for showing yourself to me. After all…”_ Suddenly, a black scythe appeared in Kaliyah’s grip as her eyes went from gold to the pitch black of the void, the color of hatred. _“Isn’t the old saying kill two birds with one stone? I think I might be able to end all my enemies now, in one fell swoop! Come now, little ones… Let’s see if you’re worthy to walk with demons…”_

“Duck!” Frisk cried, shoving Rose out of the way before the Determination mage was shoved into a wall by the blunt end of the scythe, knocking countless books off the shelves.

Rose gasped and went to see if Frisk was alright. "Dear, are you hurt badly?!"

“No, she just knocked the wind out of me,” she said, standing up and trying to catch her breath. 

Rose sighed in relief. Then looked over to the three monsters in the doorway. "Please, I need you three to try and hold her down while I try to expel the demon!"

“It won’t work,” Frisk said as she summoned a glowing ruby sword and matching shield. “Calypso isn’t really a demon. She’s a powerful mage of Hatred. If you want to get rid of her, we’re going to have to do it another way. My suggestion is mage weapons, as they affect the soul and not the body in these sorts of situations.” 

_“I’d like to see you try,”_ Kaliyah snarled, proving that it was in fact Calypso controlling her. 

“WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Papyrus asked as he, Stretch, Sans, and Edge rushed to the large double doors of the library where the ruckus had been taking place. “WE HEARD A CRASH AND WE COULDN’T STALL ANY LONGER! THE OTHERS WILL START TO INVESTIGATE WITHIN MINUTES!!!” 

"A mage of Hatred has taken over Kaliyah. We need to try to reach her, all the while breaking Calypso's hold on her," Rose urgently explained.

“WAIT WHAT?!” Edge yelled in disbelief. “HATRED HAS TAKEN OVER _KALIYAH_ , A _KINDNESS MAGE_?!?! HOW THE HECK DOES THAT WORK?!?!”

"With a lot of concentration and a strong enough will. So we need to distract her while I use my powers to drive her out of Kaliyah! Can we trust you guys to do that?" Rose requested.

“Absolutely,” Stretch said determinedly. “Just tell us what to do.”

 _“Ooooo!”_ Kaliyah crooned, her grin sickeningly sweet for a villain. _“New toys! And a complete set of six, too! Excellent!”_

“Um… What does that mean?” Blue asked warily. 

“Run!” Frisk yelled as vines exploded from the walls, heading for the monsters in the entrance. 

Blue was the only one lucky enough to jump out of the way in time to avoid getting wrapped up in the vines. The others, though… They all ended up with thorny vines wrapping around their bones and souls along with a black rose blooming in one eye socket or the other, the symbol of a slave of Hatred. 

_“Much better!”_ Kaliyah grinned. _“Seems like this puppet_ **_is_ ** _useful for something after all!”_

Rose was officially ticked and tired of this mind games. She concentrated hard and a large pink machete-like sword appeared in her hand along with a row of pink daggers around her. She one by one swiftly threw the daggers at Kali's feet making her back into the wall. Then using the rest of her daggers, she securely pinned her to the wall. She then held the blade to her neck and said, "Don't you dare move. I'm not afraid to use this!"

Kaliyah laughed. _“What, do you think this will fix your precious Kali? Newsflash, princess; you can’t free someone who doesn’t have a soul to cure.”_

"No? But at least I can shove you out of her for good!" Rose concentrated and made her eyes glow pink, and she slowly breathed in and out of her mouth came pink glittery dust that Kali had begrudgingly inhaled. This caused her to choke and wheeze frantically for a moment before she expelled from her lungs again, her smile malicious and cruel.

Kaliyah laughed harder at the weak attempt. _“Pathetic! You think a mage who doesn’t even know how to use her own magic could expel_ **_me_ ** _, Calypso of the Darklands, from a host I’ve controlled for_ **_years_ ** _?! You’re going to have to try harder than that, princess. In the meantime, I think your soulmate has something to say to you…”_

Suddenly, glowing red bones embedded themselves in the wall next to the duo, causing Rose to remove the blade from Kaliyah’s throat and turn to face her lover, Fell, who had tears streaming down his face as he was forced to attack her. 

“I-I’m s-sorry,” he whimpered weakly, unable to control his own powers. “I-I’m s-so s-sorry.” 

Rose snapped. Her patience with this monster of a mage had reached its peak. She turned around to face Calypso with her head held down. It _seemed_ like she was about to cry, and the Hatred mage relished it, but that's where she was sorely mistaken. 

The mage of Passion’s eyes started to blaze pink and she began to levitate and the air became so thick with the pink dust from her mouth that the room seemed like a Misty swamp. "I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOUR DISRUPTIVE NATURE! THIS ENDS **_NOW!!!!_ ** She growled out like a dragon. The dust was so thick that it started to suffocate Calypso and seemed to make her struggle for a moment before suddenly, the air cleared, revealing vines wrapped around Rose like a snake.

 _“Oops,”_ Calypso said with a cough. _“It seems I stopped your glitter party. So sad.”_

Rose smirked at this. "That's okay. It's all over now anyway," she cackled.

“Um… Rose?” Frisk said warily. “That was a warmup. She hasn’t even shared a fraction of her true power yet.” 

"It doesn't matter. Right now the dust is already taking effect. She's slowly being pushed out not only by the effects of my dust but also by Kali herself. You see, I've learned things over the years from my dear grandmother. And this is one of her techniques. Once the dust is inhaled, it slowly drains the powers of the invader of the soul and boosts the power of the TRUE owner of the Soul and body.” 

Calypso stared at her before bursting into laughter. _“You think… that she… AH HAHAHAHAHA! You’re so naive! Kaliyah can’t fight me because I’m the reason she’s still here! It’s the same with Franziska there. I control the Lionhearts through and through. They are_ **_mine_ ** _. And besides, there’s a reason that poor little Kaliyah can’t remember any magic she uses. Her soul has been missing for years. I am the only thing keeping her going. The little Liyah that her family adored is gone. I am all that is left.”_

Rose gasped and then glared at her. "Don't think I'll let you win this!" she growled out.

 _Little Liyah?_ Blue repeated silently. _Who is… Oh. Oh! I know what I have to do!_ Sneaking away up the stairs, he went to find help. There had to be someone who could, and he had an idea who. 

_“Oh, I don’t plan on it. I plan on you fighting for a long time. Breaking the souls is my favorite part. But, you see,_ **_princess_ ** _,”_ Calypso crooned sweetly with a malicious grin, forcing the vines to bring the mage close so she could rest a hand on Rosalinda’s cheek (to Fell’s muffled dismay), _“you should be careful with your hatred. After all, hatred poisons passion just as it does kindness, but instead of cruelty and bitterness, it becomes cold apathy and_ **_fear_ ** _…”_ ****

Rose nearly screamed in agony as the witch’s poisonous touch squirmed beneath her skin. It felt like it was trying to eat her alive from the inside out, the venom of disgust and malice poisoning her bloodstream and coursing toward her heart, toward her _soul_ , and she knew that if it touched her there, it would be over. They would all fall to Calypso’s twisted game. She would have failed miserably before she even began. 

The others tried to fight Calypso’s control, but no one fought as hard as Fell, who was forced to watch as his soulmate suffered. He couldn’t allow Calypso to take her! He couldn’t!

“Put the nice lady down!” yelled a young voice from the entrance, causing Calypso to remove her hand from Rose’s cheek and giving the Passion mage some relief from the pain. 

There, in front of the crowd of monsters that had amassed at the door as they tried to come up with a plan to free the captives, was Blue and… Kaliyah? No, this girl was younger. She couldn’t be Kaliyah unless Blue had gotten a time machine and brought a younger version of Kaliyah to the future, which would have messed up the timeline anyway. Then who… Oh. Oh! 

Calypso laughed. _“_ **_There_ ** _you are, kind one. I’ve been looking for you.”_

“So I’ve heard. Honestly, Cal, haven’t you heard it’s rude to crash a party without an invitation?” the girl asked with a smirk. “And you didn’t even bring any _friends_.” The girl looked pointedly at Frisk, who nodded, getting the message the girl was trying to send. 

Calypso, thankfully, missed the silent message as she grinned at the girl. _“What’s your name, little one?”_

“Liyah,” she said defiantly. “Liyah Lionheart, guardian spector of this house and kindness mage.”

Rose turned around with what she could and stared at the ghost of her childhood friend. Tears start to build up. "How is this possible?!"

“Well… it’s a long story, but Blue thinks something happened that night. I’ll tell ya later, Rosie,” she said cheerfully. “But first, vines are _my_ territory, so first off, how dare you? And second, you’re a real jerk. And third, possessing people is considered rude, if you didn’t know, so you should really go.” 

Calypso rolled her eyes, annoyed. _“Are you done yet?”_ she asked irritably. 

Liyah nodded, satisfied. “Yeah, for the moment. I mean, besides the fact that green is _so_ not those skeletons’ color and Rosie really should be put on the floor and--” 

_“SHUT UP, YOU INSOLENT WHELP!!”_ she exploded, the vines tightening around their captives. 

“She has a temper?” Liyah asked Blue, surprised. “I don’t remember her having a temper.” 

“Are you serious?” Blue asked her. “She exploded your house when she couldn’t get Kali out of the closet. What do you call that?” 

“A short fuse. Ba doom tss!” she replied with a laugh at her own joke. 

Rose couldn't help but giggle at the pun the little phantom girl made. And the Sanses couldn't help but smile while the Papyruses (except Stretch, of course) just groaned.

Calypso looked like she was going to become the punchline to that joke now. _“STOP LAUGHING!!”_ she roared. _“STOP IT, ALL OF YOU!! I AM A MURDERER!!! I HAVE DESTROYED WORLDS!!!! HOW_ **_DARE_ ** _YOU LAUGH AT ME?!?!”_

“You look like a tomato,” Blueberry snickered, not sure what Liyah was doing, but still trusting she had a plan. 

“She does,” Liyah agreed with a grin, “but with those big black spots on your face, I think the hatred rotted her through. Definitely a little overripe when you factor in your age too.” 

"An overripe tomato… pfffffttttt… " Rose started to giggle at Calypso's expense. "I missed this side to you, Kaliyah," Rose said endearingly.

 _“You’ll miss it more after I_ **_end her_ ** _,”_ Calypso snarled at the trapped mage. 

“You sure you’re going to be able to do that?” asked a young female voice from behind her. 

Calypso whipped around to face Chara, Frisk having been able to summon the backup Liyah had hinted at, and Flowey, who had poked out of Frisk’s bag after finally waking up from his nap. 

Rose looked stunned. "Charity?" she asked.

“So you recognize me even like this? Huh. That’s a first,” Chara said, surprised. “You know, this disguise made Calypso think that I was Liyah for a while, until my soul gave me away. Oh well, it didn’t matter much anyway. Liyah was better at hiding than I ever was. She didn’t even need me to stand in for her.” 

“Nope, but I’m touched that you tried,” Liyah said, waving it off with a smile. “It makes me feel special, you know?” 

“I definitely didn’t mean to tear you in two. I apologize for it,” Chara said kindly. 

“Eh, it’s fine. It means I didn’t end up like you guys. No offense,” Liyah replied. 

“None taken,” the trio said in unison. 

_“SHUT UP!!! You sound like a bunch of yes men!”_ Calypso snarled. 

“That would be accurate!” Liyah chirped. “I say yes to everything except you!” 

_“You know what,”_ Calypso growled, her left eye twitching from fury, _“this is such a touching reunion that I’m going to bring everyone else too.”_

“Really?” Liyah asked excitedly. “That’s so nice! Thank you!” 

“Uh, Liyah?” Chara said worriedly, stepping protectively in front of Frisk. “I don’t think it’s going to be a friendly reunion.” 

“Why not?” Liyah asked. 

“Um… That?” Flowey whimpered, pointing at the phantom silhouettes that still remained from the song and were turning toward them, black filling what should have been their eyes as they summoned weapons and got into fighting stances. 

“Oh… Yeah, that’s probably bad…” Liyah said as she bit her lip nervously, backing away a little from the formerly docile ghosts. 

_“Get them,”_ Calypso snarled, and the ghosts complied, attacking the four rebels who were now trying to dodge the ghosts and the skeletons’ many attacks. 

“Hop on!” Blue instructed Liyah as he pulled her on top of his Gaster Blaster with him. 

“You know, next time you get back up, maybe you should explain the _entire situation_!!!” Liyah scowled. 

“Oh, so you’re blaming me now?” he shot back. “How was I supposed to know that she could do that?!” 

“Less talking, more fighting!” Frisk scolded them.

As Calypso’s attention was focused on the five in front of her, Rose could feel her bindings loosen just a little. Not enough that she could slip free in her weakened state, but enough that she had a little more wiggle room… 

_Dang it! I need to get free somehow. But what do I do?_ Then she noticed Blue and tried to give him silent signals for him to get her free.

Blue caught on to the signals and flung a few bones in Rose’s direction, cutting through the vines while Calypso was distracted. 

Rose made a mad dash to where Frisk was and sheltered her with her body as much as she could. "Frisk, think you could do something while I play defense?"

“Sure. If Liyah, Charity and I make it to Calypso and get close enough, we might be able to summon Kaliyah’s soul out of her chest so that you can put our good friend Calypso back in her place,” Frisk told her. “What was your plan?” 

"There was this spell that my grandmother used on those who were possessed. She was some sort of exorcist. She could get rid of demons and even witches who placed or was occupying a normal person." Rose explained.

“I don’t think that’s how it works in this situation, but it’s worth a shot,” Frisk said with a shrug. “We’ll get close, pull out the soul, and let you take over from there. How’s that sound?” 

"That sounds like a plan, but I need a good distraction. This spell isn't exactly an easy to remember nursery rhyme," Rose explained.

“Understandable,” Frisk agreed. “Let us take care of that.” 

Having reached a consensus, Frisk jumped back into the fight, having a silent conversation with her sisters to relay the plan. They all rushed Calypso, the other two causing a distraction while Frisk pulled Kaliyah’s soul out of her chest as she triggered an encounter. 

It wasn’t a pretty sight. 

There was only a sliver of green in it, the rest pitch black. Whatever had happened to Kaliyah, it had filled her soul with hate. It was almost like someone had taken a huge chunk of the kindness out and replaced it with the vile substance.

Calypso laughed. _“Now do you get it? I’m the only thing keeping her going. Without me, this body would have rotted away a long time ago. Kaliyah is_ _**mine** .” _

The others stared in horror. She was telling the truth. They couldn’t take Calypso out of Kali without losing her. They needed a new plan.

Rose used whatever she remembered of what her grandmother taught her and focused her powers into her right hand. She quietly asked and prayed to the Heavens to lend their power to save whatever was left of her soul and banish the evil within it. And to temporarily fill it with the power of passion and goodness, _her_ passion, a part of her soul, to temporarily fill in the gap of her soul. Rose then teleported using her remaining powers and held Kali in a tight and hard as iron neck hold and slammed down the power from the Heavens unto the almost black soul. There, a loud and sharp scream ripped through the room coming from not Kaliyah, but Calypso. 

“I-I’ll be b-back,” she growled through gritted teeth. “And th-then… then you’ll be s-sorry. You’ll _all_ be sorry!” 

And then the darkness disappeared, and all was calm. 

“That… was terrifying,” Sans breathed, the vines having released their captives. “Let’s _never_ do it again.” 

“Agreed,” Blue sighed tiredly. He was exhausted. They all were. 

Rose then released Kaliyah from her iron grip and gently placed her on the floor. Checking her soul again, there was a sliver of green surrounded by a light pink hue. A mix between white and her deep shade of pink soul. Meaning that the spell worked. Breathing a sigh of relief, she gently slapped the side of Kali's cheek to wake her up. 

"Wake up sunshine. Time to get up," Rose cooed.

Kaliyah opened her eyes slowly. “… Rosie?” she asked sluggishly. 

"Hey, there she is. How ya feeling there, slugger?" Rose asked.

“Like I just ran into a brick wall. Why?” she asked as she sat up shakily and started to look around. “What… What happened to my library?! It looks like a tornado came through here!” 

Rose just made a sideways smile and an eyebrow and looked to the crowd before them. "Anyone want to chime in? Because now's the time."

“I think the first order of business is for you all to explain what just happened,” came a booming voice as a golden-bearded goat man stepped into the room, his arms crossed and his gaze glowering down on them. 

They all went quiet, the only word coming from Frisk: 

“Scrap.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya~  
> Are you ready for our possible spoilers for the next chapter? Well at least on my end with my child, Rose.  
> 1\. She and Kali might do a duet during the middle of the party!  
> 2\. Touching recognition scenes between our characters that also includes the royal family meeting Rose.  
> 3\. Kisses will be present!!!!! As it is New Year's of course!!!!😆
> 
> Ok, that's all I can share. But tell us what you think about the chapter and the story so far! Can't WAIT to hear from you lovely readers!
> 
> So for now, this is HeavenSent003 (and SDF) signing out! 😘


	12. Dance Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dance battle and new revelations?! This is gonna get good! 
> 
> MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Heaven here!! I am SO SORRY that Ruby and I haven't gotten to this fic in a while! Some things came up prevented us from updating. I'll spare you the "details" of our dilemmas and let you continue to read on.
> 
> But real quick note here! Both Kali and Rose are gonna have their hands full in explaining things to the Dreemurs. But afterwards it gets a WHOLE lot interesting.
> 
> (Get ready for fun! - Ruby)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“So,“ Asgore sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “you’re saying that this was an absolute accident? None of you knew that was going to happen?“ 

He was sitting on the couch in front of Kali, Rose, Frisk, and the Sanses, everyone else sitting down as well as the group told them about Kali, Rose, and Frisk, not to mention trying to explain the ghosts that had seemingly disappeared after the battle. (Blueberry, Blooky, Mettafell, Frisk, and Mettaton knew they weren’t gone, but the others didn’t need to know that yet.) 

“Yes,“ Frisk said, wringing her hands and giving her adopted parent a weak smile. “That is exactly what went on.“ 

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you’re speaking, Frisk,“ Toriel said with a sigh. “You’ve been mute the whole time I’ve known you. What happened?“

“Um, I couldn’t speak unless in the presence of a relative,“ she said sheepishly. “It was, um, Calypso’s way of making sure I kept secrets secret.“ 

During the whole entire conversation, Rose kept silent and gave reassuring pats on the backs to Frisk and Kaliyah. But she couldn't help but often stare at the goat monsters before them. They seemed so familiar. She wondered if they were related to the goat monsters that knew her ancestor. She would have to ask that for later. But right now wasn't exactly ideal.

“And you’ve been here all alone this whole time, Kali?“ Undyne asked. 

“Yep,“ Kaliyah sighed. “All alone and looking for my family. I guess I found two of them, even if one is a ghost that we don’t know where is, at the moment.“ 

“A-anybody knows exactly where that ghost went to? Who exactly is this sibling M-M-Miss Lionheart? I-i-if that's not too much to ask, that is,“ Alphys inquired.

Kaliyah sighed. “Charity Lionheart is her name, but Frisk called her Chara.“

Everyone went stiff, especially the Sanses. Asgore's eyes were the size of dinner plates and Toriel looked like she was about to cry and faint at the same time.

Kaliyah seemed confused while Frisk slumped. “ _ This _ was what I was trying to avoid,“ she grumbled. “Now we have to try and explain how and why Calypso decided to scatter our family throughout the timeline.“

“Excuse me?“ Toriel asked, petrified.

“Nothing, Tori!“ Frisk said immediately. “It was nothing!“ 

Rose looked at Frisk with a look that said  _ spill it _ . With a hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised.

Frisk sighed. “Who do you think the other six souls are? Do you really think that was random? Six kids plus Chara just  _ happened _ to fall down into the Underground? Why would they be at the top of a mountain anyway?! They’re kids! Think about it. It just doesn’t make sense.“

Asgore and Toriel looked at each other, figuring out what happened. And as Asgore thought through it, he realized that whatever evil force that played in Frisk and Kali’s family's demise had played them like cards according to their plans, as Asgore himself killed all six children.

“What happened underground?“ Kali asked, confused. 

Frisk looked at the Sanses. “She doesn’t know? You haven’t told her yet?!“ she asked accusingly. 

“I was… trying to… figure out… the right moment!“ Sans said sheepishly. “Yeah, that. That’s what I was doing…“

Frisk glared at him. “Really?“ 

He flinched. “N-no… But how do you tell someone that? And the fact that I helped just makes it worse!“ 

“What are you two talking about?“ Kaliyah asked.

Toriel gave a heavy sigh. “Let me start at the beginning…“ 

“Should I grab popcorn?“ Kaliyah asked, interrupting Toriel. “Because I have a feeling this is a soap opera fit for the ages.“ 

Tinkling laughter rang through the room, reminding them that the ghosts couldn’t be far. 

Tori, gazed back and forth, amazed that she could once again hear her child's laughter.

Frisk chuckled. “Looks like Charity and Liyah agree with you on that point,“ she snickered. 

Tori started to tear up again and have a sniff. But she recollected herself and told her story. The story of the Underground.

Throughout the story Kaliyah made various reactions: happy and sad for what the monsters went through; angry and upset at what her own kind did to them out of mere greed and fear. But the strongest emotions came when she heard what happened to her siblings. She looked like she was about to break down into sobs.

“I… I see,“ she sniffled, trying to hold back tears. “All of these years of searching for them… And they’re all dead…“ 

Rose wasn't in better shape. Her suspicions about the prophecy were true. She really  **_hated_ ** that she and her family were always right. She hugged Kali tightly and silently cried along with her. She would have to tell Kali about herself, her heritage, and the prophecy soon. But now wasn't the time.

Frisk saw all the sadness and stepped up. “Come on, guys! This is supposed to be a party! Let’s do something, I don’t know, partyish!“ 

“I’ll go cook something for everyone,“ Kaliyah decided and moved to leave. 

“NO YOU WILL NOT,“ Frisk yelled, glaring at her older sister. “I  _ know _ you’re a stress cooker, but we have enough food as it is. We do  _ not _ need any more food. Got it?“ 

Kaliyah nodded meekly, not daring to move. 

“Thank you. Now, Liyah is proposing a dance-off. Is anyone up for that?“ Frisk asked. 

Rose stared blankly for a minute, then began giggling quietly. “I volunteer Fell!“ Rose grabbed her boyfriend's arm and raised high in the air cheerfully.

Fell sputtered. “Wait what? I’m no dancer!“ 

Rose scanned everyone in the room and looked back at Fell and said, “Oh c'mon Fell. Don't tell me you're chicken.“ Rose playfully teased. “I bet you can even out-dance Stretch.“ As she said this, she gave a playful staredown to Stretch. The stare was practically saying,  _ do you accept? _

He sighed. “I guess I could give it a try…“ he grumbled, looking warily at the others. “I’ve just… never danced in front of others before…“ 

Rose let go of Fell's arm and walked over to Blooky and whispered a song name in his non-existent ear. Blooky shyly smiled at the song choice and floated off to get his music set up.

“What’s the song?“ Fell asked. 

Rose smiled cheekily and said, “You'll see,“ she all but purred. 

This made Fell a bit nervous.

Just then Blooky got his whole deejay set, and set it all up in the living room, with plenty of space for a dancing area. (With the furniture moved of course.)

“Okay… Just… promise not to laugh?“ Fell asked pleadingly. 

Rose looked at him with a gentle expression and kissed him on top of the head. “You'll do great! A little luck goes a long way, y'know?“ she said sweetly.

“Yeah… luck…“ he mumbled as he walked into the center of the stage. 

The song started up and Fell waited for a moment, listening to High Hopes by Panic By The Disco! to get a feel for the beat. He started bouncing on his toes, waiting for the lyrics to start, and then he  _ sprang _ ! His style was most certainly hip hop with a touch of rock, but  _ man was he good! _ He was quick on his feet, hitting the floor in time to the music as he went into an elaborate routine he had made up on the spot. There was no way that anyone could deny that he, so far, was winning this dance-off. 

Floor spins, jump kicks, and some front flips later, the song ended, leaving Fell out of breath. 

Everyone just stared for a few minutes not saying anything until Rose broke the silence. 

“THAT WAS FANTASTIC, FELL!!!“ Rose cheered.

Fell blushed. “Th-thanks…“ 

“Okay! Now it's Stretch's turn! Let's see what you got!“ Rose challenged.

Stretch shrugged. “I’m good. Why not one of the others?“ 

“C'mon,“ Rose whined playfully. “If you do this, me and Kali will be up next. How about that? Tempting, hmmm?“ Rose suggested mischievously.

He sighed. “Fine. But I’m choosing the song.“ 

Rose huffed/pouted and said under her breath, “Party pooper…“ She then made a playful sideways smile knowing that he probably heard her.

He ignored her and whispered in Blooky’s ears and went up to the ‘dance floor.’ 

“Hit it,“ he said with a smile as the music started playing, letting them know it was Shotgun by George Ezra.

His moves consisted of finger guns (coupled with playful winks), moon walks, flips, and a head spin. He then finished with a dab.

Kali snickered despite her mood. That was cute, she thought. 

“Your turn,“ he said to Rose. 

Rose got up from her spot wearing that same playful smile. Only when her eyes landed on Fell, her smile turned into a seductive smirk and there was a playful glint in her eyes. She discreetly went up to Blooky and whispered the song to him. Blooky took a minute and slightly blushed a bit, but proceeded to play the song. As the song started to play, everyone vaguely recognized the song. Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen.

But as Rose started to dance, their mouths dropped. Her movements were fluent and elegant but electrifyingly beautiful and attractive. Her dance style was a mix of ballet, hip hop, and oriental dance (A.K.A belly dancing). As she was dancing, her hot gaze never left Fell's eye sockets. She finished her dance by twirling graceful-like to Fell, bent down to eye level, pecked him on the skeletal lips, then proceeded with a playful wink, and finally went back center of the dance floor and took a bow. 

Fell, along with everyone else in the room was silent. Then all eyes went to Fell for explanation.

“Um… Uh… Yeah… I have a girlfriend who’s a Passion mage… Surprise?“ Fell said sheepishly. 

Toriel's eyes went wide. “Fell, did you say,  _ Passion _ mage?“ Toriel then grabbed Asgore's hand for reassurance.

“Yes?“ Fell said, wishing he could disappear until Rose put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. 

Toriel asked Blooky to temporarily stop the music. As he did, the goat couple analyzed Rose closely. 

“Child… may we speak with you privately?“ Toriel gently asked. 

Rose, at first looked confused, but then she figured that they may know something about the goat monsters that knew her ancestor, so she obliged. 

Fell was a little hesitant and asked if he could go with them. 

Toriel looked to Asgore and he nodded slowly. 

Toriel turned back to look to the crowd. “We'll be right back. Don't worry. We're simply going to talk. Please. Continue with the festivities.“

As the four of them walked away to talk, Mettaton insisted that Blooky put on the next song. As he did that, Mettaton picked out the next competing duo. “Edge and Papyrus! Make your way to center stage!“

They could hear Edge pull one of the females in the crowd up to dance to Despacito with him as they left the room. 

Fell felt like a total nervous wreck. “Is this about Rose’s heritage again?“ 

Asgore looked down at Fell. “That depends if she can answer some questions of ours,“ Asgore said in his deep baritone voice. 

Toriel found a quiet place in the kitchen and looked around for extra guests. She then turned around to face the two and asked Rose in a serious tone, “Miss Rose? Are you aware of the story of how we, as in the monster race, ended up stuck underground for all these years?“

Rose looked a bit confused but answered regardless. “Yes, I've read your history through some discarded books in Ebott library. And through some books that my late grandmother kept. Why do you ask?“

The couple looked at each other then back to Rose. 

“Miss Rose,“ Asgore started, “we once had a VERY good friend before the war. She was our childhood friend and even introduced us to each other. Later on, she was the maid of honor at our wedding and was later to be the godmother to whatever future children we were to have.“

Fell looked confused. “Um… And this would be?“ he asked.

Toriel then sighed out as she remembered the past. “They were the first mage of Passion's daughter. The second mage of Passion.“ 

Rose went wide eyed. She knew monsters live for a long time, but she never knew that they lived this long!

“We cannot be sure if you are who you say you are till you prove your identity as the mage of Passion and the descendant of our friend. Our sister,“ Asgore said in a deep serious tone.

“Hold on,“ Fell said, holding his hands up. “Are you saying she was part monster or something? I’m confused.“

Toriel smiled seeing his confusion. “You do not have to be related to be family, Fell. Kind of like you consider all of your other counterparts as family.“ 

Rose looked to Fell with a raised brow. Silently asking,  _ counterparts? _

“They’re not counterparts, they’re my cousins,“ he said flatly. “We discussed this.“ 

Toriel looked confused at first, but then realized her mistake when she saw the questioning face Rose was making. “My apologies, Fell. But you do realize what I'm trying to convey?“ She asked hopefully.

He nodded. “Yeah, I get it. Like how Kali adopted Rosebud into the household.“

Toriel smiled at his nickname for his little girlfriend. She giggled. “Yes, exactly! Now my dear can you prove to us that you are who you are?“ 

There were only two ways that she could prove it. She showed her heart-shaped birthmark on her shoulder. But to verify her identity she had to show them her soul. And she seemed a bit uncomfortable about it. Plus she didn't even know how to bring it out in the first place. 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, Rosebud,“ Fell assured her softly, “but if that is your wish, I can bring it out for you.“ 

Rose smiled gently at him and nodded her head in confirmation.

Fell slowly brought out her soul, using the utmost care with handling the precious object. This was his Rosebud. He was literally holding her essence in his hands! Man, what a feeling.

Rose felt the tug from her chest and when there was a sudden  _ POP _ sound, she saw her hot pink soul floating right in front of her. “Wow! Is that it? My soul?“ Rose asked amazed.

Fell nodded. “That’s you. That your essence, Rosebud, and might I say that that is the prettiest soul I’ve ever seen? Because it is just as gorgeous as you.“

Rose blushed as she looked away. 

Asgore and Toriel stood there amazed. She was really there. The mage of Passion. The descendant of their best friend. Toriel couldn't help the overflowing tears of joy spilling from her eyes. Asgore was ready to cry as well with tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. 

“I never thought that I'd live to see this color of soul again!“ Toriel said. 

“Me either, it's a miracle that the rest of the humans kept the family line alive,“ Asgore said, astonished.

Rose stood there looking at them almost ready to cry herself. But then her attention was drawn back to her soul. She seemed mesmerized by it's glow. She held her hands up and felt around her soul. She couldn't exactly hold it seeing as how it was just essence. But she felt the warmth that radiated from it.

Toriel wiped away her tears and asked, “Now that we know that you are her descendant, do you know how to control your powers?“

Rose looked away with a slightly embarrassed face and looked to Fell for help. 

“Not exactly?“ Fell admitted. “I mean, her powers show up when she kisses me. Makes me feel… amazing… when she does that. It’s  _ exhilarating _ . Anyway, she also lost control in her room this morning? You’ll have to ask Blue and Edge about that one. I didn’t see it.“ 

Rose covered her face in embarrassment. That didn't help. 

Toriel and Asgore took a second to digest those pieces of information with blank looks. But then they suddenly remembered what their friend told them so long ago. And they both blushed heavily. 

“Oh dear….“ Toriel said.

Asgore stayed silent.

It was then that Fell grew suspicious. Fell gave them both a look. “Am I missing something?“

“Y-you take it from here Toriel dear. I was never any good at this sort of thing.“ Asgore stuttered out to say.

Toriel sighed then said, “Well, Fell, back when Rose's ancestor was around, she explained to us what her powers did in direct contact to other souls. One way, that is through the hands, can heal a heavily damaged soul along with other abilities. She never went in-depth about it. But she DID tell us the other way that the magic can be given. And that is what happened to you. But that is not the awkward part…“ Toriel said sheepishly.

“Nothing about my Rosebud is awkward,“ Fell said flatly. “She is an angel, a queen among women, and I will not stand for her being treated as anything less. Got it?“ 

Toriel was taken aback a little when she heard this. She then giggled. “It's not the fact that  _ she's _ awkward, Fell. It's the fact that what the magic does to a passion mage's significant other. And it's not just her, her ancestors and other mages have also done it. And that information itself is very sensitive. Not a whole lot of people knew this except the mages and their family members.“

“And that would be?“ Fell asked, not seeming to be perturbed in the slightest.

Toriel sighed, “It could be that Rose here has been unintentionally pouring some of her powers into your soul in order to form a soul bond with you.“

“And that’s bad… How? I love her. I would be honored to forge a bond with her.“ 

Toriel shook her head and put her hand on her hip. She then got into mom mode™ and said, “Fell! You  _ do _ realize that when a mage does this, it is technically like getting married in human terms? Are you really certain? Forming a bond will include the other to feel what the other feels and that also includes pain, and even DEATH! If one of the other dies, then the other will have a high chance of losing one's mind. Are you prepared for that?“ 

“Hey, if it makes you feel better, we can take it slow. I still haven’t taken her on a date yet, and I know my brother would kill me if I went in headfirst,“ Fell said thoughtfully.

By this time, Rose was crouched down covering her face with embarrassment clearly showing. She started to mutter things that Fell couldn't quite make out.

“Rosebud?“ Fell asked softly, getting down on one knee next to her. “Are you all right?“ 

She finally managed to make a coherent sentence that he could hear. “I can't believe I almost did that!“ she shrieked.

“But Rosebud, don’t you get it? I’m not mad,“ he said kindly. “I’m okay with it.“ 

“It's not okay! I had almost, technically, married you at the risk of your sanity! It's. Not. Okay! … I'm so stupid…“ she groaned.

“Who said I don’t want to marry you?“ Fell asked with a soft smile. 

Rose jerked her head up from her hands, stock still with a red face. She looked at him with wide surprised eyes. Internally she was screaming like a fangirl that just heard their favorite celebrity just proposed to them. 

“R-r-really…?!“ she stuttered.

Fell chuckled. “Yeah, Rosebud. I love you. That’s not changing anytime soon.“

Rose was at loss for words. She really comprehend what was happening right now. She did have one question though. 

“You'll still take me on dates before marrying me right?“

Fell laughed, rich and full. “Of course, Rosebud. That’s a requirement.“ 

“Okay, good. It's still weird though. Having someone liking me romantically—heck, even liking me in general! What with my strange looks, personality, and hobbies. I'm still not quite used to this,“ she said, chuckling to herself.

“Well, then maybe I’m going to have to show you what it’s like to be loved,“ he said softly, pulling her into a hug.

She teared up at his bold declaration. “Thank you Fell. Thank you, my lovely bone man!“ She then gave him a BONE crushing hug back. 

Toriel and Asgore smiled endearingly at them. But it was Toriel that spoke up. 

“I hate to break the good atmosphere, but we need to address the issue of miss Rose's magic.“

“Kay,“ Fell said, still holding her close. “What’s the issue?“

“It's the fact that if she continues the way she is with how inexperienced she is with it, then she could accidentally soul bond with you. Or she could accidentally hurt someone. She needs training…“ And that was Toriel's first mistake in saying. As soon as the word “training“ popped up, a certain fish woman and optimistic skeletons barged in the room with a loud and resounding  _ thud _ !

“DID SOMEONE SAY TRAINING?!“ Papyrus asked. 

Fell jumped in surprise. “You guys scared me!“ he scowled. 

“You guys practically broke the hinges to the door. Kali isn't going to be happy about that. Oh dear…“ Rose said with surprised wide eyes.

“I’ll fix it later,“ Blue said with a grin. “We’re gonna train you and Kali so you’re less dangerous! And try and figure out how to fix Kali and Liyah. Pretty sure they’re supposed to be one person.“ 

Rose giggled. “Okay! That sounds like a plan! I look forward to working with you all!“ she smiled brightly.

“THANK YOU FOR TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT YOU AND MY BROTHER,“ Edge said kindly. 

Rose smiled. “Sure! I wanted to for a while. But never had the guts to do it. That is until Kali helped convince me otherwise.“ she said thoughtfully.

“Now.“ She said as she brought their attention. “Who's turn is it to dance against each other?“ she asked.

“Um… Kaliyah and Frisk,“ Blue said. 

Rose smiled deviously. “Oh, this is gonna be good!“ She rubbed her hands maniacally. She had a certain gleam in her eyes that just spelled out mischief.

“What are you doing?“ Fell asked nervously. 

“Oh, nothing,“ she said nonchalantly. “I just can't wait how this turns out!“ she said excitedly.

They filed back into the main room where Mettafell had taken over as commentary. 

“And next is Frisk and Kaliyah! Which sister will win?“ he boomed. 

Rose whispered in his ear and his grin widened. 

“The loser must kiss their crush!“ Mettafell added. 

Frisk and Kaliyah stared at him. “WHAT?!?!“

Frisk buried her head in her sweater so Sans couldn’t see her looking at him. 

“But… I don’t really have a crush on anyone…“ Kaliyah mumbled. “No one will get close enough to me to let me love them…“

“Oh Kali, don't worry about it,“ Rose said. “You don't have to do it right now, but when you do get a crush, you have to hold up the end of the bargain. Okay? And besides, as far as anyone is concerned, you are loved by all in this room! Including me!“ she declared. “Right guys?!“

The skeletons nodded. “Totally!“

The others followed suit, with Frisk going up and giving her sister a hug.

Kaliyah smiled. “Thanks guys. That means a lot to me.“ 

Rose gave her such a big hug that she picked her up. Rose had a lot of strength for being such a slender thing. Fell just stared at them amused. Though he felt oddly attractive at how strong Rose was. 

The kindness mage laughed and returned the hug. “Who needs the rest of humanity when all I need is right here?“ she said with a smile, tears pricking the sides of her eyes. 

“Don't get me started! Or you're going to make me cry!“ Rose croaked. “Now let's stop getting emotional and let's get dancing shall we?!“ Rose said excitedly.

Kaliyah nodded. “Frisk, do you want to go first?“ 

Frisk nodded. “Can I choose the song?“

“Of course, sweetsoul!“ Rose cooed. She grabbed Frisk's hand and practically dragged her to the little music set up.

Frisk hesitated then whispered in Mettafell’s non-existent ear before heading up to the center of the room. 

As the intro of Nothing Stopping Me by Vicetone started up, she began dancing, but less than three seconds later, she tripped. Instead of hitting the floor, she was caught by the ghostly form of Chara, making the Dreemurs’ jaws drop. 

_ “Careful, sis,“ _ she said with a smile.  _ “You’re gonna hurt yourself dancing like that.“ _

Frisk smiled. “You’ve had more practice than me,“ she admitted. “You actually got to do ballet. During the Dancetale variants I was usually trying to match the others.“ 

_ “Here, let me show you,“ _ she said, pulling her younger sister up and showing her an elaborate dance move, which Frisk immediately copied. It didn’t take long for the duo to spin into an enchanting ballet routine around each other, showing off each of their personalities.

When the duo tripped  _ again _ during the instrumental--this time on the carpet--they were caught by others. Flowey caught Frisk, and--to the surprise of everyone in the room--a goat boy caught Chara. 

_ “I was wondering when you’d show up, Azzy,“ _ Chara said with a grin. 

_ “What, and miss the party? I don’t care what Calypso says, I’d never miss an opportunity to dance with you,“ _ Asriel said as he lifted her above his head and began dancing with her. 

Frisk smiled at Flowey. “Thanks.“ 

“Yeah, yeah,“ Flowey said, waving it off. “Can’t let you get hurt. Now go finish your dance. You have to beat your sister.“ 

Frisk laughed before joining the other two, the trio twirling and leaping around each other until the song was over. 

Chara laughed as the final note played.  _ “I don’t think we’ve had that much fun in years out of mind!“ _

_ “Definitely not with the fun police keeping us locked up and away from each other,“ _ Asriel agreed, his arm around Chara as she leaned into his side. 

“I’m glad that you two could have fun then,“ Frisk said happily as she picked up Flowey’s pot and held him close. 

“How are you here if I’m here?“ Flowey asked. 

Asriel shrugged.  _ “Magic, I guess. You’ve been taking care of Frisk for us?“ _

He nodded. “The kid gets into more trouble than I can keep up with, but I’m trying.“ 

_ “Maybe one day, we can fix you both. And Liyah,“ _ Chara said, petting his petals.  _ “I’m sure you two aren’t comfortable apart.“ _

“We’re  _ not,“ _ they agreed in unison, sounding frustrated and sad. 

“Asriel? Honey… Is that really you?“ Toriel's voice trembled. 

As she said that, Asgore dropped to his knees in front of him, slowly reaching out to his dead son to see if this was real.

Asriel reached out to Asgore, but was disappointed when he couldn’t touch him.  _ “It’s me, Mom and Dad. I… I wish I could touch you, let you hold me… I’ve missed you both so much…“ _

Toriel started to weep and Asgore was no better. His eyes silently streamed tears of both happiness and sorrow.

“Did this… Calypso woman do this to you?! Is that why you're here?“ Toriel asked, a hint of venom in her tone.

Asriel nodded, his eyes full of tears.  _ “She did this to me and all the Lionhearts. Pretty sure I saw Gaster too in the cells. She’s taking those she can and using them like toys. It’s… really quite awful there. I’m glad I was able to get away even for a little while, and seeing you and Chara makes it all worth it.“  _

The room intensified with heat. That could only mean one thing. The Dreemurs were  _ MAD _ ! Their fire magic starting to flare. Toriel looked like she was about to rip the head off of the woman, while Asgore seemed to have a burning inferno in his eyes. He even snorted out smoke from his nose like a dragon. “We will not let this go unpunished!!!“ Asgore all but boomed.

_ “Stop!“ _ Chara yelled, trying to calm the Dreemurs.  _ “You can’t fight her! She’s too strong! Believe me, we’ve tried. We’ve banded together to try and fight her off before, but it only ends in us getting beaten and isolated from the others. I… I don’t think we could go through that again. Being there is bad enough without having to be alone too.“  _

Asgore growled. 

Toriel finally had enough sense to calm down and reached her husband and calmed him down. “Asgore, she has a point. We have  _ no idea _ who we're dealing with here. We're not prepared to face something like this woman by ourselves. But I promise, we _ will _ find a way to avenge them. Something like this will  _ never _ be overlooked!“ Toriel reasoned.

_ “Why are you avenging us when we’re not dead?“ _ Asriel asked, confused. 

His parents looked at their children in confusion. 

“Asriel? What do you mean?“ Asgore asked.

_ “Well, we’re here, definitely not in heaven or whatever, and Calypso didn’t just take our souls,“ _ Asriel reasoned. _ “If they were to be reunited with our bodies that she has locked away, we’d go back to normal. So, yeah, we’re not dead. We’re just… stuck.“ _

_ “He’s right,“ _ Chara agreed.  _ “We’re not dead, but trapped.“ _

“But how is that possible? We saw your body turn to dust Asriel! And I know for a fact that I buried your body Chara! Don't you remember how the humans attacked you two?! It's what started the whole  _ gathering human souls to break the barrier _ !“ Toriel yelled.

Chara gave them a look.  _ “Dude, she’s a fricking sorceress. I mean, sure, Asriel’s body isn’t quite where you’d think, but it’s still technically his, and I’m pretty sure that if she can scatter my family across time and space, she can make it so we’re not dead. Does it look like our souls are shattered to you?“ _

Toriel and Asgore looked at them then looked at each other before giving their children a sad look. “My children, regardless of this possible happy news, the fact that this woman planned this and put you through so much turmoil… I will not let that  _ woman _ get away with this!“ Toriel said the word  _ woman _ with such venom, it caused everyone in the room to flinch.

Asriel and Chara looked at each other. 

_ “Actually, that sounds pretty reasonable,“ _ Chara admitted. 

_ “Pffft. Imagine Mom yelling at Calypso and then throwing fireballs at her,“ _ Asriel grinned. 

_ “Imagine your mom doing that and my mom threatening her with her battle axe!“ _ Chara said with a smile. 

They both burst into laughter, and they seemed a little more solid to the others in the room, still see through, but more tangible than before. 

Toriel softened her looks, she reached for the laughing children. Just to see if she was able to just  _ feel _ them somehow. The tears once again started to sweep in her eyes and her soul  _ yearned _ to give them the motherly love that they deserved. Asgore wasn't that far behind her when thinking the same idea.

The children froze when they felt the soft touch of Toriel’s hands. 

_ “You…“ _ Chara began, her thoughts going a mile a minute.

_ “Can touch us?“ _ Asriel asked hopefully. He had wanted this for so long… 

Toriel's tears came streaming down her white furry face. Asgore carefully placed his hands on top of their heads to see if he can touch them as well.

Asriel practically tackled them, burying himself in their arms while Chara merely watched, not wanting to interrupt the reunion. 

The Dreemurs all hugged each other while sobbing happy tears. 

While all this went on Rose wanted to experiment with something. She slowly walked up to Chara and poked her side to see if she was real. This caused Chara to let out an undignified snort. “Yep! She's real!“ Rose proclaimed with a mischievous grin.

_ “Rosalinda Marie Thornwood, I will hit you and it will hurt,“ _ Chara threatened, giving the passion mage her signature mom look that she had honed over years of taking care of her siblings. 

Rose just simply giggled at her. “C'mon~ you got to admit that it was a real  _ rib tickler _ of an attempt~.“ She joked while she waggled her eyebrows at her.

_ “I forgot how infuriating you are,“ _ Chara mumbled with a small smile. 

“Oh cmon~, you love me and you know it~.“ She playfully responded. “You even called me your little  _ rose princess _ .“ She mischievously smiled wider. “I even remembered that you used to call Kali my knight in  _ frying _ armor~.“ She giggled loudly.

_ “I did not!“ _ Chara protested.  _ “That was… our father… He called you two that.“ _

“Yeah, but you went with it~.“ Rose said with a funny tone.

_ “I would never call my sister that,“ _ she scowled.  _ “You’re thinking of Jazz. Jasmine would absolutely do that.“ _

“These reunions are cute and all, but weren’t we in the middle of a dance-off between Frisk and Kali?“ Stretch asked. 

Chara glared at Stretch.  _ “Insensitive much?“ _

Stretch shrugged. “I’m just saying, if Frisk summoned you and Asriel, then what could Kali do with all that crazy magic she’s got?“ 

“Hmmm, let's try it! C'mon Kali! Strut your stuff!“ Rose cheered.

Kali sighed. “I… I suppose I could try… It’s been years since I danced for anyone else…“ 

_ “It’s been years since you’ve done anything for anyone, sis,“ _ Chara pointed out.  _ “You’ve been a bit of a hermit.“  _

“I have not!“ Kaliyah objected. 

_ “When was the last time, before the skeletons, that you actually hung out with someone?“ _ Asriel asked curiously, still held close in his parents’ arms. 

Kali said nothing, unable to recall. 

"Kali? Don't you remember? You hung out with me till you went MIA on me." Rose reminded her.

“Yes, but that was years ago,” she mumbled. “I… I don’t really get out much lately… I mean, practically the whole town hates me…” 

"FORGET THEM!" Rose all but barked out. "The jerks can honestly go and just drive off the cliff and into the ocean! You're so much better than them, Kali! Don't let their opinions stop you at living life!" 

Kali practically jumped in fear at Rose’s outburst. She just wanted to go hide and maybe cook some more. Was that too much to ask? 

_ “You’re… acting off,” _ Chara said.  _ “Is something wrong?” _

“I’m fine… I’ve just developed a bit of stage fright lately,” she mumbled. 

Chara raised an eyebrow.  _ “You, Kaliyah Lionheart, have stage fright? Since when?” _

“Since people started trying to hurt me or avoid me when I come near them…” Kaliyah muttered. 

To say that Rose was furious was an understatement. She grabbed Kali by the shoulders tightly and made her look straight in her eyes. There was a certain murderous glint in Rose's eyes when she demanded, "Kali, tell me who and what they did to you and I'll personally "take care" of them myself."

“You plan to take care of almost the entire town?” she asked sheepishly. “Everyone except our church thinks I’m cursed, and even that’s a stretch. It’s… not easy when the whole town hates you.” 

Rose made a face and whipped out her phone and scrolled through her list of songs. She chose "Angel with a Shotgun" by The Cab, and turned it up full blast and said, "This. This is my answer." Rose said with determination in her tone.

_ “Come on, sis,” _ Chara pleaded.  _ “Do it for me? I won’t be able to stay forever. Azzy either. We’ll fade again by midnight, if not sooner. Just… do it this once? Please?”  _

With the song blasting in her ear and her sister’s begging, Kaliyah finally caved. 

“Fine. I’ll dance,” she relented. “But only this once. Don’t expect me to make it a habit or anything…” 

Rose smiled her award winning smile at her and said, "Thatta girl!" And slapped her back a little too hard. Kali knew she meant well, but it still took the breath from her lungs.

“I do get to choose the song… right?” Kali checked. 

Rose gave her a smile. "Of course! Anything tomake you comfortable!" She cheerfully said. 

Even after all the years she's known Rose, Kaliyah still couldn't comprehend how her emotions change within a split second. She's tried her darndest to figure it out, but eventually gave up and decided to go with her emotional flow.  _ Better to go with the current instead of fighting it. _ She thought to herself. Kali looked to the others and noticed that they were trying to figure her out as well. She internally giggled at their confused faces and tried to suppress the smirk forming on her face. Key word in "trying".

She whispered her song in Blooky’s ear and went to the front of the room. 

Taking a deep breath, she tapped her foot as the music began, and when the lyrics started to the Spanish version of Waka Waka by Shakira, she sprang. Eyes glowing dark blue, she twirled and flipped and leaped, seeming to dance on air. The audience watched as a blue figure in a tutu appeared and danced along with her. 

It didn’t take long for the others to follow. 

Orange, yellow, turquoise, blue, and violet danced with Kaliyah in their own ways, with a man and a woman watching from the sidelines, though they joined as well when a little green figure—Liyah—pulled them into the center with the others and danced with them. The man, bathed in white, spun in a circle with the youngest three, while the woman in red danced with the older ones. 

Frisk and Chara stared. 

“That’s… our entire family…” Frisk breathed. 

_ “How did she…?” _ Chara asked in shock. 

The Skelebros had various reactions to this new development. The Papyri of the group were amazed at this, while the Sanses of the group were slack-jawed. They couldn't believe the amount of magic that was being produced from her. 

The rest of the monsters, including the Dreemurs, were astounded at how she managed to summon so many human souls. But the Dreemurs noticed something odd about the white soul. It looked human, but the fact that it was white like a monster soul only confused them more. What was going on?!

Liyah dragged Frisk and Chara into the dance, making them both laugh and join in with them each shining red, and as the Swahili portion of the song came on, the white soul pulled out a staff and breathed fire on each end before spinning it in a firedancer routine. As he ran the fire over himself, his appearance changed from human to lion, shaking out his red mane as he flashed a fanged grin at the kids, who smiled back. He began to pass the torch and each used it to make themselves older, presumably the age they were today and not ten years ago when they were captured. The only two it didn’t work on were Frisk and Liyah, who didn’t seem perturbed by it. 

The most dramatic change came when Charity took it. She grew taller, sure, but her hair turned white and her eyes shone sky blue as she and Kaliyah danced in unison. 

The song reaching the end, white flowering vines grew around the room, accenting the white walls as the starry blooms opened to show their beauty just before the last note played and they stopped dancing, though the people didn’t disappear. 

Kali noticed everyone staring at her and she seemed to shrink into herself again, uncomfortable. “Um… Was it bad? Is that why you’re staring?” 

Rose was the first to speak. Tears in her eyes while wearing a gigantic grin on her face. "Kali… look behind you!" She squealed.

Kaliyah turned and saw her family, looking how she imagined they would when she finally found them after these ten long years. Except… they were see through and her dad was… a lion? 

“Hello, sweetheart,” Leo said with a soft smile. “We’ve missed you.” 

Kaliyah did the only sensible thing to do in such a situation. 

And promptly fainted. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real smooth Kali. Real smooth.... LOLOL!!!!  
> So, you all are probably wondering what the heck is going on. Well, Ruby and I have decided to try out a new idea. We won't explain what it is yet, but I think that you can already guess what it is. If not........
> 
> Anywho~~~!!!!!😅😌  
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter and look forward to the next one! 
> 
> This is Heaven and Ruby signing out!!!


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